It is said that art brings out the best in people. Perhaps that’s why Pune-based painter Gauri Bapat, along with her artist friends Madhura Sarade (Sangli), Sujata Karande (Pune) and Prachi Shah (Karad), decided to hold a painting workshop for some differently abled children.
These women recently visited the specially abled children at Anandwan, Warora which is run by the Amte family, to spend time with them and especially to conduct an art workshop for them. The artworks which the children created, are going to be exhibited at a show called Anandrang in Pune from today.
“We all have heard about the work that Dr Amte has been doing. We wanted to visit the place and spend some time with the children there but we also wanted it to be special. We decided to take our canvases along so that we could colour their lives as well,” says Bapat.
The group encouraged the children at the facility to come forward and paint. Bapat says that they kept the style fluid — the children were asked to use whatever colours they wished to put on a canvas, there were no guidelines or restrictions.
And the experience was nothing short of magical. “The children loved the painting workshop and even though they had certain special needs, it did not stop them from getting creative,” she says.
The children worked on their canvases with full concentration and put their heart and soul into the exercise, she adds. “These children have a lot of potential in them which is why we thought of selling off their canvases and donating the money to the Trust that they belong to,” Bapat says.
Although the children don’t have the kind of exposure that city children have, that does not stop them from expressing themselves through art.
Apart from the abstract painting workshop, the women also conducted a Gond workshop for the children. At the exhibition starting in the city today, along with the paintings made children, their collections of acrylic, oil on canvas and decorative paintings will also be displayed.
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The exhibition will be held at Darpan Art Gallery, off Senapati Bapat Road, October 24 (6 pm onwards) - 30 (11 am - 7.30 pm)
