Pointing towards the paintings displayed in the school, 79-year-old Kaya Gurunath says with pride, “Will anyone say these paintings are made by children with physical and mental challenges?”
Gurunath has been helping these differently-abled children paint at Vidyanjali Therapy Centre, Chennai, in Tamil Nadu for the past six months.
Manjith, 14 (name changed), who can’t work with a paintbrush, is helped by the tutor. He squeezes colours of red and white from a bottle, which could be mistaken for a sauce squeezer at a bakery shop, on to the canvas. Manjith blows into a straw which spreads in a circle creating tiny cherry blossoms on a white and pink-laced canvas. He lets out a snort of laughter and joy at his own creation.
But this is not the story of Manjith or other disabled children learning art. This is the story of a retired engineer transforming into an art tutor, whose small innovations are now assisting the students here discover the world of colours.
With his children settled abroad, out of boredom, Gurunath took to an online portal to learn painting a year ago. He found the exercise therapeutic and liberating.“I was able to make my first painting in two months because my tutor, Australian artist Len Hend, had really useful tips,” says Gurunath, who claims to have no previous talent in art.
Wanting to share the knowledge with other senior citizens, Hend created this online portal with tips and suggestions on learning painting and invited them to paint together. “Though the website had useful tips, it was not a success. Many senior citizens expressed interest but the interest waned after a couple of months,” Gurunath says.
One day, I got the idea to become an art tutor from a friend abroad, who was working with the school as a therapist-consultant. “As soon as I visited the school, I was eager to get into teaching art at Vidyanjali Therapy Centre. But it was not that easy. Having no idea about the developmental issues of children, my first class was a disaster when I realised many kids had difficulty holding the paint brush,” he says.
But with time, Dr Vidya, who runs the therapy centre, and the tutor have found alternative ways to help them know more about the world of art. “We make them use sponge and straws to spread colours on the canvas. Tracing sheets and spray paints are also used to make small shapes,” Gurunath says.
At the centre, he settles down with students to help them. Those who can hold the paintbrush dip them in green and yellow acrylic paints bringing out the beauty of sun-kissed bushes on their canvas. And their happiness is boundless. “Now their faces brighten up as I enter the room and it gives me a sense of satisfaction. And I would love to help as many children as possible in learning the art,” he says.
They make sure the paint is chemical-free, so that the children who are prone to respiratory allergies are not affected.
Dr Vidya, who has been able to integrate many children into mainstream schools, says, “The art workshop has a healing effect on children who suffer from anxiety and depression. Besides, it helps new children to relax, open up and enjoy their time. Looking at what they have been able to do with colours, gives them a sense of accomplishment and they develop a sense of belonging to the environment here.”