Why is Art important?

If you have lives and studied in any Indian school like I have, you will have had the misfortune of learning Art like you learnt Math. Often schools in my town didn't even have a dedicated art teacher, a job which was often lopped onto the shoulders of an obliging sports coach or geography teacher. Basically this was treated more like a free period and no one learnt anything.

Learning art is not merely drawing a few lines on paper and painting a few shapes. Nor is it making animals, plants or people. The learning of art can be a valuable tool in life and the best bit is that it can be learned at any age.

Many people are afraid of learning art for fear of embarrassment - what if I make a mistake? I can't even draw a straight line. I haven't a single creative bone in my body. There are many excuses people hide behind. But the simple truth is that we are unfamiliar with the idea that learning to make art is like developing a whole new set of muscles in the body. When you learn art you train your eye, brain, hand & to some extend the rest of your body a completely new set of skills.

Art makes you more observant, patient, relaxed, persistent. When making art you sense calmness and excitement all at the same time. Being able to see the hours put into work come to fruition gives you a sense of achievement like no other. Add to this the ability to learn to control an outcome, or to be able to create in a physical manner that which was only in your own imagination is no less than magical!

For many of our students learning art has been a combination of therapy, self-affirmation, fulfilment of a dream, relaxation and frankly just a constant source of joy that they can share with their friends and family.

In the end, I would like to say, that the practice of Art is a sign of the pinnacle of a civilised society. It is the highest achievement for a human mind.