Art cultivates culture or at least that is what we are supposed to pick up along the lines of the extremely costly affair of artworks that are auctioned off. Van Gogh, Munch and Monet are just some names we toss around when the subject of Art is mentioned. Picasso’s Blue period, The Rose Period, etc. bring out the true moods of artists and their views on issues, which are captured and extended onto the canvass.
An artwork is the reflection of feelings that cannot be put into the words. It is the desire to display to the world, the artist’s own understanding of his observations and thoughts on those observations.
French Post-Impressionist artist, Paul Cézanne once said, “What is one to think of those fools who tell one that the artist is always subordinate to nature?
Art is in harmony parallel with nature.” The relationship that art and nature shares is profound and deeper than most would realise. Nature, does not determine art, rather it cultivates the artist. In some circumstances it is the pulling force that drives artists to create numerous artworks on an aspect of nature.
Researchers are always providing statistics, reasons and explanations to parents, caretakers and teachers to get them to develop the artistic side of children. Studies conducted over the years have shown that nurturing the artistic side builds character in children.
Art is usually considered by most parents to be a ‘sub’ subject, in the sense that importance is not really allocated to it, as it would be to subjects like Mathematics or Science. However, among the changing breed of parents, art is beginning to take the high road with music, language and even stage performances.
In the Zone with Art Zone
A person, who has already recognised this change and is ready for the flock of parents, is Margaret Kwok. Kwok runs Art Zone, a place where children gather to let their imagination sashay from mind to brush.
Art Zone, located at UE Square Shopping Mall, sees children as young as 3 years old to kids of 12 years of age, producing brilliant pieces of art.
Kwok, self-trained in Australia, and her group of ‘helpers’ (mostly young adults from different professions, such as teaching, design, illustrating, etc), connect with the children and impart in them the ‘art’ of self-expressing. The children are not segregated according to their ages; instead, they sit together and have fun while creating an artwork.
Thinking of how back in the old days art was just a 30 minute-weekly class and it never was ‘exploited’ beyond that, hence why now?
Well Kwok dishes out the merits of letting kids slide down the artsy way.
“It lengthens attention spans, motor skills and artistic abilities are enlarged and children become more willing to express and their communication skills improve,” explains Kwok. The children do follow a syllabus but currently that syllabus does not include art history but in the future learning about the different periods might just become part of the whole artistic experience at Art Zone.
Need a Fun Place for the Adult Clan?
As if letting the kids go wild with paint isn’t enough, Art Zone also plays host to birthday parties, team building activities and group workshops. The best part of these activities? They’re not just for the little ‘uns. Adults too can tap their artistic potential.
Having children’s parties is always easily done with the blink of an eye. Grandma and grandpa, you are not left out either. In April this year, Art Zone had a workshop for senior citizens. Therefore, truth can be put in Russian artist, Wassily Kadinsky’s words when he said “ Every artist, as child of his age, is impelled to express the spirit of his age.”
Currently, Kwok has her hands busy with the upcoming lantern festival, which will be carried out on September 13th and is open to the public. So hop on down to Art Zone and with Junior’s pajamas and a lantern and of course, Junior himself and have a lighted, arty lantern festival.
To find out more about Art Zone visit it’s website!
Also read: Callidus preschool: A mum’s review