AIM FOR SEWA

A dear friend wanted me to do a workshop for underprivileged children along with a few other Bangalore based artists. The aim was to create work so as to fund themselves by transferring the creations onto useful gift articles. Not knowing what to expect, I went along as this was my first experience to help children in their creative talent. This was a whole day workshop organized by an NGO named Aim for Seva in Bangalore.

On reaching the school funded by the NGO, bright, shining and eager faces cheerfully greeted us expectantly to start the art workshop at the Chatralaya (school). My intent was to make the session full of fun and to learn how to help each other through the medium of art. I assessed their abilities after seeing each one’s work separately and thought it would be good to work together. The group of excited little girls, were encouraged to work on one surface. Before starting on the surface, I introduced new techniques to create the fun element and the ensuing whoops of joy, was euphoric indeed. Girls who couldn’t draw very well were made to color the drawings done by another. This way each girl felt good and the feeling of inadequacy or competition was not there.

One painting was created with surface full of flowers titled “Hoova” (Kannada for flowers} expresses joy of life. The other painting again on one surface for five girls, using hand imprints as technique to depict branches and leaves of a tree was to symbolize “Aim for Seva”.

I thoroughly enjoyed interacting with the children and it was a humbling experience at the same time.