Al-Furqan Art Classes

When I heard the students request us to continue these art education initiatives, I realized the significant impact.

Rubina Faryal Asif, President Al-Furqan

I had the privilege of conducting Summer Art Classes at Al-Furqan School, a non-profit welfare organization for the socioeconomic and moral uplift of underprivileged children through education and health care. Building upon my teaching experience from the previous summers, I conducted art classes where I taught them how to use different mediums, enabling them to process their thoughts and emotions and visually present them. Intrigued by the ability of each child to express themselves through their work, I explored the role artistic expression plays in the development of these children.

I had a class of ten students. The majority were girls, with a few boys as well. Their ages ranged from 12 to 16. Initially, the children were reserved and quiet, and I saw them observing me with uncertainity reflected in their eyes. I asked them to leave their desks and gather around me in a huddle; I introduced myself, and asked each student to tell me a little about themselves. Slowly, I felt them relax and become comfortable.

I asked the students whether they would prefer I speak in Urdu or English. Even though I sensed that they were more comfortable with Urdu, they insisted that I speak with them in English. They had a burning desire to improve their spoken English, and since they had limited opportunity in their homes to speak in English, they were excitied about interacting and speaking with me. I was encouraged to see the same kind of enthusiasm and excitement in these students about learning art.

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After the ice-breaker, I spoke with the students about Colour Theory. We created folders for each child with an introduction to the basics of the colour wheel; showing how every colour has shades, which are used to give a painting depth. One student eagarly volunteered to read out loud the written text. I explained to them what primary, secondary and tertiary colours were and then I asked the children to paint their own colour wheel.

Beyond the art topics which I discussed with the students throughout the classes, it was their side chats, questions, comments which were the most meaningful and insightful. One student commented “Ghar ka kaam hi toh karna ho ga, is ka kya faidia.” (I will have to do housework in the end, what the point of this). I noticed a preconceived notion existed among the girls, that they would end up just bound to the four walls of their home, and dreams of becoming a fashion designer, doctor, teacher were unattainable. Building upon Al-Furqan’s efforts to reassure them that we are standing behind them, helping them fight to attain their dreams; I strived towards changing their mindsets. In my own way, I tried to make them realise that the power of education is not only materialized through practicing a profession, but is seen through the human development along the journey; that art will aid them in being able to express themselves visually if not verbally.

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Eager to see the children apply their learning from the class on colour theory, and enhance their painting skills, I tasked the children to create a painting depicting “nature” using acrylic paints. They were provided with paper to brainstorm their ideas and then plan out their paintings in terms of placement of elements.

The children first drew and then painted their paintings. I aided them, holding their paint brushes and teaching them how to paint clouds, water ect. I kept reinforcing that they needed to use a variation of shades for each colour to create depth to further enhance their work.

As I improved a student’s stroke, I noticed that she had complete stationery, except for paint brushes. I wondered was art not as important for her as other subjects? Do her parents not realize that by not prioritizing artistic exposure, they are unconsciously curtailing her development? Yet I can’t help but smile when she told me “At home I paint using make-up brushes; I will collect my Eidi to buy paint brushes.” Her eagerness to express her creativity was palpable to me.

This class on acrylic paints not only boosted the children's painting skills but enhanced their confidence in their ability to paint. By the end of the class, the children were so proud of their work, asking to take pictures for them so they could go home and show their parents.

Another one of the classes was on etching technique. The children were instructed to select a colour which made them happy and were then encouraged to list what all made them happy. They then selected shades of the colour and paint the base of their page; then paint black on top of the page and wait for it to dry. They then etched out their drawings using a pointed tool. This medium was unfamiliar to the children, but their excitement and joy was palpable, as they saw the colours reveal themselves as they etched away the black paint.

When I encouraged a student to take home the the waterfall he had painted and show to it to his mother, he replied “Yeh maths ka result nahi haye keh woh khush hoon” (this is not a math result that she would be happy).

I also organized a “Crafting Dreams” Art Exhibition at Regent Plaza Hotel, to showcase artwork of students from 14 Al-Furqan School branches, along with Roshni Public School; fostering a sense of achievement among students. We conducted an inter-branch artwork competition and subsequently awarded prizes to students for their exceptional pieces.

I was able to connect and engage with children from different socioeconomic backgrounds and help unite them through their creative ideas and desire to learn. Intrigued by each child’s unique ability to express themselves through their artwork, I was able delve deeper into exploring the role of artistic expression plays in the development of these children as they processed their thoughts, explored emotions and presented them visually.

Interacting and engaging with these students allowed me to appreciate how universal human emotions such as sorrow, joy, and anxiety are felt and expressed differently between adults and children. I also saw the nuances of expression between the works of different children. This experience has inspired me to continue imparting my learning to these students in hope that I can help create a positive impact in their lives.

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I presented the project concept to the Principal of Al-Furqan School for approval and then approached Mr. Shoaib Mir, CEO of Diamond Paints, Pakistan’s No. 1 national paint brand for sponsorship. Upon obtaining permission from students’ parents via school, I visited three neighborhoods and selected Khudadad Colony based on an analysis of access and safety.

I managed the implementation of wall painting with the participation of 7 school students. From coordinating and executing the plan and arranging transportation to ensuring the safety of the children, the responsibility was upon my shoulders.

I coordinated with Diamond Paints for paint materials as well as cleaning and preparing the surface of the walls, and painting it white, the day prior to the event. We first made 8 window shaped outlines on the wall, with one window allocated to each student and one window was allocated for a painting made together by all 7 students.

The entire activity took about 4 hours. The children were initially uncertain about what to paint. We had a group discussion about possible ideas, and that’s when they started to share thoughts and became more confident about themselves.

Pencils were used to make the basic drawings, but the students quickly moved to the coloured paints, attracted by the novel wall paints; eager to see how they apply on rough surface of the walls.

Throughout this process, the homeowners who were parents of students Amna Islam and Fatima Islam, showcased simple yet heartfelt hospitality, offering us home made snacks and cold drinks. I engaged in conversation with them, as well as a few other parents from the neighborhood who came to observe the activity, about the importance of art in the daily lives of children and how it fosters well being.

Inspired by seeing students paint the walls in their neighborhood, I witnessed a few toddlers shout out ‘yeh mein bhi kar sakta hoon’ (I can also do this) and run and begin chalk drawings on adjacent walls. It was a humbling experience, yet I felt heartened that our little initiative was having such a positive impact in the community.

Once the students finished their individual paintings, I helped them make simple borders around each painting to signify the window frame. They then made a collective painting in one of the windows to show what they wished to become when they were older. I am proud to say that we had an aspiring astronaut, a fashion designer, a military woman, a policeman and a few doctors in our student group!