To promote creativity and self-expression, a pot painting art workshop was organised at Don Bosco High School and Junior College, Naigaon, Palghar District, Maharashtra, Mumbai, India. The four days of the workshop were spread out over the weekends and was conducted in the school A.V Hall. Around 40 students from 5th to 9th grade participated in the workshop. Mr. David Jain, a renowned artist and art consultant for UNICEF, and a child educator who has been a relentless crusader for the rights of deprived children, served as the instructor for the workshop.
This initiative was taken by the vice-principal, Fr. Joaquim Fernandes, SDB, to help promote art among the students and to develop aesthetic values. The programme was designed with the objective of providing a holistic and joy-filled approach to education and helped students to engage with subjects from multiple angles, deepen their understanding, think freely, give vent to their emotions and develop a lifelong love of learning.
The Provincial of Mumbai Province, Fr. Savio Silveira, visited the workshop during his visit to Don Bosco Naigaon. He appreciated the initiative taken by the school in providing activities that are therapeutic and aid in the mental well-being of the students.
The sessions provided hands -on experience to the students and a creative outlet, allowing them to express themselves and develop important skills. The setting of the workshop and the instructor’s approach to teaching, provided the students with an opportunity to develop their artistic skills and explore their creativity. Students learnt the colour wheel and were given an opportunity to explore colour schemes. They acquired the skill of painting in three dimensions, and they were able to showcase their artwork through exquisitely crafted pots that showcased paintings of abstract and natural subjects. During the sessions, factors like interpersonal skills, motor skills, maintaining and caring for one’s own art supplies, etc., were also taken into consideration. The students were forced to think out of the box and came up with novel designs.
Sharing his experience about the workshop, Mr. David Jain said, “When students are engaged and motivated and experience minimal stress, they achieve higher knowledge and are able to make connections. This learning comes only from classrooms that are filled with joy and abundant exposure.”
At the end of the session the students were felicitated for their beautiful art work with certificates and prizes. In his address, the principal, Fr. Anthony Fonseca, SDB, encouraged students to take active part in such workshops saying, “Such workshops encourage creativity, exploration and allows us to express ourselves. The final product is the reflection of our own creativity hence, we should never miss such opportunities.”
Ms. Saachi Patil from grade 7 exclaimed, “I enjoyed the pot painting workshop as it gave me an opportunity to think freely and paint the design that I liked most.”
The success of the art workshop was demonstrated by the students’ experiences, willingness to experiment and the learning outcomes associated with it. Their art work clearly depicted dexterity and creativity. Students were able to communicate their emotions skilfully and artistically through this selected medium of art and apply their artistic and aesthetic sensibility in day-to-day life.
By – Dorothy Fernandes
