Lessons From the Journey
Sometimes it’s more about the heart than the art.Â
At IA, our Art Exploration Programs are designed to help disadvantaged young people discover a creative voice they didn’t realize they had; that they are made in the image of God with embedded beauty, potential and full of creative possibilities. Our desire is to see the students discover this awesome reality and then grow and create beautiful work. However, what occasionally happens is that instead of being excited about having a voice and the ability to project it, the students are struggling to cope with life and often paralyzed with a fear of failure.
Some students find it hard to put pencil to paper, even if it means simply drawing a line. The fear of being a disappointment and their focus on their inabilities are often thickly and stubbornly rooted in their hearts and minds.
Sometimes, we find ourselves having to reconstruct our entire approach to art.Â
This means scrapping the original curriculum and trying a different approach. It might mean asking them to illustrate major events in their life, good or bad, and process those events through their art. This is often hard and painful work, but it is inspiring and humbling to watch students carry such heavy burdens and yet courageously confront their story with hopes of healing. These young people are so strong, so insightful, and so intelligent. As they express themselves through art, there is beauty and power, and the first steps towards healing as they realize they are not alone. That is something to celebrate and to be excited about!! It is such a privilege to work with each one of them.
Sometimes it’s more about the heart than the art.Â