By Brother Jittin Mathew and Eustace Fernandes
MUMBAI, OCT 1, 2018: Thirty youth at Bosco Boys Home (BBH) in Borivli participated in an art based therapy session to hone in on their competitive spirit and to help them put across their emotions through drawing on September 30.
Jyotsna Nair, an amateur artist, and Swati Iyengar, an art based therapist, conducted the therapy. Art is a form of expressive therapy that uses the creative process to resolve issues as well as develop and manage behaviours, feelings, reduce stress, and improve self-esteem and awareness.
The therapy started with a round of introductions explaining the help received through art to improve a person's physical, mental, and emotional well-being. The therapy was divided into painting and drawing activities.
The children were given papers to draw, along with three different shades of pencils for shading. It was a time for the young children to be trained and expand their artistic skills. They could choose any style – sketch, cartoon, line drawing, oil painting or watercolors to convey their creative feeling and to communicate themselves through their painting.
"They properly followed instructions and poured their creativity and their faults on paper. I can see so much potential in these boys and their ability. With training and practice and proper support, these children will do something amazing in this world and I will definitely follow their journey," Nair, said.
"Through this beautiful art, I can express my feeling that shows my various emotions: good, bad, scared or anxious. I enjoyed drawing different objects and was very delighted that didi trained me in different skills of art in a very effortless way. Art inspires me to use my creativity and increases my concentration to sit at one place for long hours. Art connects what words cannot," Dhruv Geria, a student of standard seven from BBH, said.