Art provides an essential outlet for children and adolescents to express their feelings, opinions, and individuality. Plenty of research has shown the importance of introducing art to children at a young age and how it helps to impact our communities’ youth positively. Art is such an essential part of growing up and creating a healthy emotional development. However, it is usually one of the first programs cut in schools and isn’t always a focus at home. This is why we created Art is Life. We provide many different resources and opportunities so that our students can learn more constructive ways to express their emotions and communicate with those around them in new forms.

Through various art projects, we show our students how to show others their culture, way of life, and how they see the world. Our instructors spend the time to teach essential art concepts such as light, volume, and perspective. Art is Life teaches students about famous artists and the techniques they used to make an impact on their audiences on both a community and global scale. For those who want to pursue a career in art, this will be particularly useful as they will have a more in-depth knowledge of the craft they would like to pursue and the industry that they may be a part of one day.

Through our program, we offer many opportunities to gain a more knowledgeable perspective of their artistic development. This includes going to art stores to learn more about the supplies and brushes they can use, meeting artists and learning more about their stories, and participating in Paint Day – an opportunity for them to express themselves in a hands-on art exercise.

Art is Life is also an essential program for young adults who may be planning on pursuing a career in art. Many of the children that we work with come from challenging backgrounds and difficult situations. It is our goal to provide a safe, nurturing, and educational environment for our community and the children within it. Art has been proven to heal and act as a form of therapy in many different ways. Through art, our students learn to process and communicate what is going on inside their heads and their hearts in a safe environment.

Communicating ideas and feelings have never been more important, and art is a fantastic and open way to demonstrate views, opinions, and emotions. We teach our students how to get comfortable sharing their art with each other and with the masses on social media. This helps to foster discussion and self-expression between their peers and their community.