Art for 3200 schoolgirls in Pakistan

Creativity continued to flourish in our art classrooms this quarter. Between February and April 2026, students moved between colour, texture, culture, and story, turning simple techniques into thoughtful, imaginative artworks.

At Zindagi Trust, art remains far more than a subject on the timetable. It is a platform for students to express their thoughts, explore their imagination, and discover new ways of seeing the world around them.

During this quarter, students at our two adopted schools, Khatoon-e-Pakistan Government Girls School and SMB Fatima Jinnah Government Girls School, engaged with a wide range of artistic concepts, from colour theory and composition to cultural heritage and contemporary art movements. Through these explorations, students learned how art can communicate emotion, tell a story, and connect them to traditions from Pakistan and beyond.

Across Grades 1 to 9, students engaged with curiosity and enthusiasm, experimenting with new materials and translating their imagination into vibrant, confident artistic expressions.

Grade-Wise Learning Highlights

Our youngest learners began the quarter by exploring creativity through experimentation and play.

Grade 1 students explored colour, texture, and composition through hands-on experimentation. In "Squeegee Painting," students explored colour mixing and abstract expression through an experimental painting process, building fine motor skills and confidence in artmaking along the way. The quarter continued with "Mosaic Art," where students created complete images from individual shapes and pieces, strengthening spatial awareness, pattern recognition, and patience through careful, creative design.

Grade 2 students were introduced to the bold world of “Pop Art,” exploring its use of bold colour, repetition, and imagery inspired by popular culture, while strengthening their visual communication skills and understanding of contemporary art styles. They also took part in a storytelling activity on "The Life of Street Animals," using art to observe, reflect, and express their understanding of the challenges street animals face, an activity that fostered empathy, awareness, and observation alongside their artistic skills.

Grade 3 students explored light, storytelling, and design through a range of creative activities. Inspired by illustrator Lizi Boyd, students created a nighttime street scene in "Lizi Boyd Flashlight Art," exploring light, shadow, and hidden imagery while strengthening observation, colour blending, and visual storytelling. In "Clay Calendar," students designed and sculpted functional calendars using clay, combining creativity with practical application and building fine motor skills, three-dimensional thinking, and craftsmanship. The quarter concluded with "Typography – Name in Circle," where students explored typography by arranging and designing their names within circular compositions, strengthening design awareness and spatial organisation.

Grade 4 students explored emotion, imagination, and colour theory. Inspired by “The Scream by Edvard Munch,” students created their own reinterpretations of the artwork, exploring how colour, composition, and brushstrokes can communicate mood and emotion. In "If I Could Fly," students illustrated what they would experience if they could fly, strengthening creativity and visual communication through imaginative storytelling. They then explored "The Battle of Warm & Cool Colours," experimenting with colour combinations to create contrast, balance, and mood, deepening their understanding of colour theory.

Grade 5 students deepened their engagement with artistic traditions and movements. In "Exploring Sadequain Art with Calligraphy," students combined lettering with creative patterns inspired by the celebrated Pakistani artist, strengthening their design skills and appreciation for calligraphy as an art form. They then explored “Surrealism,” studying the dream-like works of Salvador Dalí and creating imaginative compositions inspired by the movement. The quarter concluded with a "Pattern Quilt Activity," where students created themed quilt panels that were combined into a larger collaborative artwork, exploring pattern, repetition, and composition.

Grade 6 students explored culture, identity, and design. In "Cultural Echoes: Reimagining Iconic Art – The Starry Night," students reinterpreted Vincent van Gogh's celebrated artwork by incorporating elements of Pakistani culture and identity, fostering creativity, critical thinking, and cultural awareness. They also took part in "Dress Designing: Wear Your Idea – Life-Size Dress with Unconventional Material," an exciting collaborative project in which students designed life-sized wearable artworks using unconventional and recycled materials, developing design thinking, problem-solving, and an understanding of sustainability.

Grade 7 students explored heritage through pattern and craft. In "Textures of Tradition: Islamic Tile Study and Interpretation," students explored the geometric patterns and decorative elements of Islamic tile art, creating original designs inspired by traditional motifs while strengthening their understanding of symmetry, balance, texture and composition. They also created "Zentangle Paper Lanterns," decorative lanterns built from repetitive patterns and lines, enhancing focus, patience, and mindfulness through artistic expression.

Grade 9 students were introduced to "Printing on Fabric," developing their initial design concepts and cut-out patterns while exploring shape and design as elements of art. Due to the limited number of classes before the summer break, the practical printing process and final project will be completed once students return from vacation.

Across all grades, these activities gave students diverse opportunities to explore artistic techniques, styles, and cultural influences, strengthening creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, and self-expression along the way.

Beyond the Classroom: Events and Activities

Art Exhibition – IRTIQA 2026

The Art Department successfully organised IRTIQA 2026, a large-scale exhibition showcasing student artworks from multiple grade levels and artistic disciplines. Students actively participated in curating, preparing, and presenting their work, gaining valuable experience in exhibiting art to a public audience.

The exhibition celebrated creativity, strengthened students' confidence, and highlighted the importance of artistic expression within the school community.

World Immunization Week

The Art Department supported the school's World Immunization Week awareness campaign by designing and preparing educational display boards. Art teachers also collaborated with the ECE department to design and create costumes for students taking part in role-play activities.

Happy Home School Art Competition – Urdu Poetry by Josh Malihabadi

Students from both campuses took part in an inter-school art competition inspired by the poetry of Josh Malihabadi, interpreting literary themes through visual art. The competition encouraged creativity, artistic expression, and an appreciation of Urdu literature.

A Grade 6 student from Khatoon-e-Pakistan School secured 3rd position in Category I, among participants from approximately 28 schools across Karachi.

Street Animal Awareness Session

Following the Life of a Street Animal activity with Grade 2, an interactive awareness session was held in collaboration with animal shelter CDRS Benji. Actress and animal welfare advocate Ms Sania Saeed visited the school with rescued street dogs, and students learned about the lives, needs, and challenges of street animals through discussion and safe, supervised interaction.

The session encouraged students to reflect on kindness, empathy, and responsible behaviour toward animals, and to consider safe ways to approach and care for street animals in their own communities.

Closing Thoughts

This quarter once again showed how a structured art programme can build creativity, confidence, and critical thinking in students. By exploring global and local artistic traditions, experimenting with new techniques, and taking their work beyond the classroom, students developed both their artistic skills and their sense of identity and community.

We look forward to another quarter full of creativity, learning, and beautiful artistic achievements.