Wild Animals INSIDE and OUTSIDE the Park
Category: Art of Conservation (AoC), art | Date: Mar 12 2008 | By: Julie
Our Tuesday, Saturday, and Sunday Art of Conservation classes follow the same general format each week. We pick an art media and a theme. That way, the instruction each week is similar. Of course, every student is different. Our lesson last week was a drawing exercise using pencil and paper. Students were asked to draw a gorilla, a forest elephant, and a wild buffalo as they might appear IN the forest and then the same three wild animals as they might appear OUTSIDE of the forest, where outside is farmland or villages - or someone’s backyard. The drawings created by all 150 people (50 in each class), despite the fact that they live in different places near the gorilla park, were strikingly similar. The elusive forest elephants were the least anatomically correct animal whereas the wild buffalos and mountain gorillas were more recognizable. IN the forest, animals were always surrounded by foliage. OUTSIDE of the forest, the drawings show people wielding Rwanda’s ubiquitous yellow jerrycans and pangas, (machetes) and yelling to fend off the animals.
Below, is a collection or sample I put together from twenty-two different drawings from the drawing exercise showing wild animals OUTSIDE of the forest and how people react.
Nyabigoma Primary School’s headmaster was with us on Saturday for class. He told me that he has 669 children enrolled in school with only six classrooms and seven teachers and limited materials.
Kids drawing.
Most classes we begin with physical exercises that I hope help make everyone feel more relaxed. We begin with breathing and then move on to stretching, balancing and trying various yoga poses. I try to make it fun and positive for everyone.
Balance is an important concept in the interconnectedness of life.
More again soon,
Julie
Tags: Art of Conservation (AoC), Gorilla Doctors @ WildlifeDirect, Mountain Gorilla Vet Project, Inc. (MGVP)
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Donations Received
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5 Responses to “Wild Animals INSIDE and OUTSIDE the Park”
Theresa Siskind St Petersburg FL, on 12 Mar 2008
Fascinating, what we can learn from their drawings. I suppose, if I was confronted by a wild elephant or buffalo, I would beat a hasty retreat. For all we know, maybe some of these children have had a traumatic experience with some of these animals. These exercises can be useful therapy for these children and will utimately prove beneficial to both the community and the wildlife. On your last post, you mentioned that some people turned up, just for any opportunity to improve their lives. That struck a deep chord in me, it was very humbling. I made a small donation then to help a little, so that more of these folks have an opportunity to participate.
julie (Art for Gorillas), on 12 Mar 2008
Hi Theresa,
It is fascinating what we can learn from the art, I agree. Most of the students have never had any art instruction, yet they do it. It’s so raw and pure.
It is no easy task for Valerie to finalize the class lists. To see a child’s eyes well up with tears when he or she is told there isn’t any more room is heart wrenching for us. Your donations help us continue and we will keep trying to reach as many people as we can. Thank you.
Julie
Francis, on 12 Mar 2008
what a great program you have, it’s great to see the kids smiling and having fun. I also found your post very interesting and familiar, I grew up in a military family and I went to a military school, years after I had graduated I returned to the school to visit my professors and as I was walking down the hallway I stopped to look at some art work on the wall done by 1st or 2nd graders and I would say that more than half were of tanks, airplanes dropping bombs and military men and scenes of war. I stood there thinking that this is what the kids are being exposed to and are use to seeing and kids draw what they see and know. Much like the kids in the art class, this is what they see everyday, it’s part of life for them, it’s to change the views and perceptions of the children and have a whole new generation who will care for the environment and the animals around them. Teach a child and they will change the world
Paula, on 12 Mar 2008
Julie I cant smiling deep down when looking at these photos. I have a strong feeling as if these classes will have a life long impact on these kids. …only when you meet some of them decades from now will you appreciate what I’m saying
The First Four Classes | Art for Gorillas, on 02 Apr 2008
[…] No. 2 includes a free drawing exercise. For example, we might ask the students to draw wild animals INSIDE and OUTSIDE of the forest with pencil. This lesson helps Team AoC assess the interest and skill level of the students. We […]
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