Art can provide a therapeutic therapy to both adults and kids. Drawing is a good way to relax and destress for the stressed out working adult who have creative tendencies or for the young child to grow his/her creativity.
In a blank canvas, you can allow your mind to grow and expand. You can express your emotions in a way that perhaps you may not have been able to express in real life.
Sending a child to an art class should not be just about passing the art examination but to provide opportunity to build the creativity of the child. When I was growing up, my friends’ parents would either send their kids to ballet or piano class. I do not remember hearing any parents who sent their kids to art class to grow their creativity. If the child have interest in piano, then it is good but I know some of my classmates did not have the interest- they were just forced to go.
Creativity has played an important role in my life. It enables me to expand my mind, to think out of the box and to explore my talent, interests and abilities. We were not well off when young but I had explored my creativity through craft work in my late teens and early twenties. When you attend an art class, it does not mean that you are gonna spend your life as a starving artist- so parents please put the fear from your minds.
In fact, I grew to building my own blogs, blogging, managing my company’s intranet and internal communication through the interest from the expansion of my creativity.
I woke up to the reality that I could not make a full time living through crafts but I still wanna show off my work so I build a website to display my work. Eventually that lead to interest in websites- updating content, writing and later communication.
Going for art class is cheaper than sending your child to piano or organ classes ….as well as having to buy a piano or organ as well. If your child have interest in music, please go ahead. But if not, please don’t force the poor thing.
Today, years on, almost all the friends I knew who graduated with at least Grade 8 in piano do no actively play the piano. The huge thing is sitting in their parents’ house like a huge white elephant gathering dust and requires constant cleaning.
I noticed a lot of kids today tend to be restless and hyperactive. Painting, art and crafts can help channel that restless energy and convert it to creative energy. Art therapy is useful for kids with autism or its related spectrum such as ADHD or Asperger’s.
For adults, if you are feeling stressed out or recovering for an injury, you may want to consider occupying your mind by learning art/ improving your drawing/painting skills- if you have the inclination and interest. This is more beneficial and therapeutic than to spend your time on bed surfing net and scrolling through social media.
I find out about an art studio from a long time friend of mine who took lessons there while she was recovering from a spinal operation. When she was able to walk, she would wear her spinal corset and go to learn art. Her husband also got her some Lego like sets for her to construct at home.
Drawing was something she had wanted to do for a long time but never had the time as she was juggling multiple roles of being a mother, wife, daughter-in-law and a full time career woman. It also helped her to deal with the grief of the passing of her beloved month a few months before.
Above is the owner Joyce standing next to a picture that she was commissioned to paint by a company.
I’ve been to the art studio below and met with the owner Joyce. Joyce mentioned that she is a graphic designer by training. She has taught art for more than 10 years but only opened the center in the last 3 years. I quite like the ambiance and the artistic set-up of the place. She teaches both children and adults on the following:
- water colour
- Sketching
- Acrylic painting
- Oil painting
- Decorative painting (on glass, wood, fabric and porcelain)
Spring Art Workshop
Address: 8, Jalan BM 1/2, Taman Bukit Mayang Emas, 47301 Petaling Jaya
Website: www.facebook.com/spring.artworkshop
Business hours: Tuesday to Friday: 3pm to 7pm
Saturday: 9.30am to 6pm
Contact: + 6017 – 8780177 (Joyce)
Note: The pictures used in this post is taken from her workshop.
