Help disabled children to get art classes

Activities in the Art-therapy project:

We would like to thank you for the support you’ve given to children with disabilities who live in the third building of the orphanage 4 in Pavlovsk.

Successes of children:

Sasha E. does not hear and somebody might say that it makes process more complicated and communication harder but specialist is doing easy with Sasha. Young boy often starts the lesson by himself, he knows where necessary tools are. All he needs he takes by himself. He often writes unknown letters during an hour and then tries to explain what it is. His other favorite activity is to cut out and to paste. Figured punchers are Sasha’s passion. It was discovered recently that he is very good at coping; in his very own manner, of course, but it is very beautiful. He is so good at it that we are now making stamps from his sketches and print them in paper and get fascinating postcards.

We have other great news to share: now Lisa N. meets art specialist with cheer as they have built close relationships. The girl likes cozy room, where lessons take place, so much that then she is walking with other specialist or volunteer she murmurs “Room”; that means Liza cannot wait to attend lesson and she completely trusts the specialist. Every time she sees Maria she runs towards her and also moves towards the art room saying this word aloud and smiling. Turns out that Lisa likes sculpturing: clay, special modelling mass, sticks, forms – that is all for her. Her works can be seen among souvenirs of “Shag Navstrechu”. She has done great amount of work during this time.

Events:

Specialist has prepared children costumes for celebration of New Year in “Da!” studio. Yasha played Ded Moroz, volunteer Larisa was The Bear, but it turned out to be more like Oriental fairytale.

Traditionally, “Shag Navstrechu” participated in New Year “Miracle Fair” where all interested people could buy souvenirs or participate in master-class.

Story about Ksyusha:

In the end of the year something like flash mob was organized: staff wrote stories about children who they fall in love with during their work. This is the story from art specialist.

 “Ksyusha K. is amazing, positive, smiling and thoughtful child. To be honest, sometimes her care can be dangerous for children and adults but the reason is that she just does not understand and does not feel her body and power yet. She sincerely does not understand why she is scolded because of her care, and gets really upset.

Ksyusha likes role plays very much: play house, cooking, cleaning, washing; she can play herself in group, when there is no volunteer or specialist. She likes painting and showing me her works that she did herself in group.

Ksyusha are also keen on washing. Her favorite activity is washing hair. Washing hair of an adult is a real pleasure for her.”

Summary of the year:

• We have lessons with children from third building three times a week. Lessons are individual and in group. Till October we had five classes each week.
• During the year 22 children were involved in project; lessons were regularly done with 12 children.
• Excursion in exhibition “Aivasovsky Alive”, 6 children participated.
• Work with calendar «Spasibo».
• Every month preparation for children's birthdays and participation in them.
• Making of souvenirs (more than 500).
• Preparation of props for New Year performance for children from staff of «Shag Navstrechu».
• Organization of art lessons: three out of town and two city camps.

Results of the year:

• We can conclude that vocabulary of girls, who took lessons of painting, has got wider. After lessons about feelings (these lessons coincided with learning the alphabet) Oksana S. demonstrated visible result. Before lessons girls were able to describe their feelings in five words: sad, scared, funny, offensive, angry; after lessons, for example, Oksana could build 10 words from letter “C” and even full sentences. This result of last year is very important.
• Also remarkable result is that Dasha D. started to listen a specialist as earlier it was very complicated to succeed. The problem was that the girl often made something by herself but not under the topic. In the end of the year she started to listen and work on topic, which the specialist provided in the beginning of the lesson.
• In the middle of the year Lisa N. girl who was 11 years old, was admitted in the third building. The girl had lived with family and it was complicated for her to trust people in orphanage. During few month specialist Maria worked with her, spoke, hugged and in the end of the year the girl opened herself. She attended lessons with pleasure and thanks to her “Shag Navstrechu” can be proud of new souvenirs made from clay and other modelling mass.