One World: One Art, Drawing class

One Art is long term project to facilitate innovative collaborative art projects and high quality art programming to low-income children in the London community. One Art blossoms from a series of art projects I have led in Calgary and Bangalore, India with various nonprofit agencies including the Boys and Girls Club and Samarthanam Trust. In London, I would like to lead an 8 month class for 8-12 low income students between the ages of 5-11 beginning their artistic journey. Every class, I would like to teach some colour theory, drawing technique, and art history and then lead students to implement what they learn to create a collaborative portfolio-ready art piece. The results of structured and enriching art education where our young people are treated as serious artists and given the practical tools to grow are breathtaking. Indeed, art encourages powerful habits such as creativity, habits, joy, peace, and focus among young artists. Apart from the obvious benefits of art education and the therapeutic value of art to each individual child, the collaborative nature of One Art’s projects serves a broader cause: respect and teamwork. Through thought-provoking themes for art projects such as “What does the world mean to you?”, we are moved by children's meditation on community and diversity. In the past, student groups I have worked with have created amazing paintings and other forms of collaborative art that have sold for high value, returning back funds to the non-profits and communities they are members of. These pieces have also been incredible works of social political commentary- children telling us adults what they would like their world to look like!

Подкрепен от London, ON (October 2015)