Weekly volunteering MY way. (AKA Growing as an artist)

So I've started going into a lower-income area to paint the kids who live there for free. I'm doing this mainly to develop relationships with them, see how they are doing, encourage them in life, etc. (I'm going with friends, and they play ball with the kids - just hanging out, you get the idea.) Painting is secondary, so I am going into this with the idea that I can use it to stretch myself as an artist. The week before last I took ONLY my rose and leaf split cakes and four brushes. Girls got rose designs and boys got dragons. (Also did some green fire, lol.) The challenge of painting without my kit or proper chair was invigorating. NOT my best work since I felt awkward and naked without my comfort tools, but I really improved my dragon and rose designs just by sheer repetition. The next week I took a blanket to spread on the ground, and a sheet of designs I've been wanting to try but never had the opportunity. Again, my painting suffered but it was fun and interesting. I even relaxed and showed one older girl how to make a butterfly, and she showed potential! I may show her a little bit every week. She is shy so not overbearing, but very interested in painting. It warmed my heart!

So, I'm thinking that every week I should arrive prepared to do one quirky thing, to challenge myself. The kids don't know anything about my usual menu board, so they are just happy to have whatever painted on their face. Total freedom to do what I want to improve my skills. Any ideas one themes or challenges I can try out?

Angie

I have an "inspiration book." When ever someone posts some amazing art, I copy it, and put it in a file, then into a MS Word document: all cats together, fantasy faces etc.

I then print out the updated page. I just redid the whole thing. What inspired me 4 years ago, is boring now. So, I was able to cut it down a great deal and reorganize.

I carry it with me in my kit, hidden out of site. When someone says, I WANT KISS, and I can't think of a good reason NOT to do KISS, like nobody is waiting, I can pull the book out and check out what Gene Simmons actually did with his make-up.

When I am jamming, I take it out to share with the other painters. Many of us just go through the pages and see some amazing thing that inspires us, then work away at it.

VERY good idea to just go there to practice ONE thing. Smart girl )

- Lilly Walters, 909-398-1228
Face and Body Painting http://www.funfacepainting.com
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I love work like this Angie! It really is rewarding(and sometimes heart breaking). I volunteer at a children's home every Monday & love it. You might find you want to put away the paints & just play with the kids. You get better interaction w/ them that way. I started the same way, thinking I'd paint them each week, but I found it was becoming a hindrance to what I wanted to do there. Now, I pull out the paints just for special occasions.

Angie, that sounds so fun, and "stretching" yourself is such a neat idea! I am doing a "Relay for Life" event Friday night and the main color is PURPLE and our tent is Mardis gras, so I am only taking a purple split cake and a "mardis gras" green purple and gold cake, I hope I do a teenybit as well as you, this is really stretching it for me, thanks for the inspiration!

Wow Angie,, This made my eyes wet,,I too have a heart for children having a hard time..I am not sure where to start around here but I would love to hear of your adventures. Fantastic way to stretch yourself.Well done you.
We have a group of people at our church who are starting to set up something called healing rooms where they set up a tent at fairs and offer free words of encouragement. prayer, prophecy etc.. I was wondering about doing prophetic face painting,, this may be a bit far out for some on here ,,sorry not meaning to offend anyone ,,just another opportunity to use my gift for the good of others.

Thanks everyone! Linda, you may be right about painting being a hindrance before too long. Right now we're in the beginning stages of our plans to reach into this neighborhood, so we're doing some things that we hope will draw kids in. It's really been very successful in that! Every week we see new kids and some parents too, coming over to see what's going on.

I've been wanting to do something like that, you know for practice and also to give a little back to the community, especially with kids. There's a women's shelter not far from me. I'm always scare I'm going to be turn down, so I procrastinate!
Now reading about your experience and the kids, I think I really need to look into it and do something. Thanks Angie!

You are very welcome Belle! We've contacted several shelters in our area and they are always very thankful for the interest in helping in any way. Some have regulations and applications that need to be submitted for safety purposes (minors) but it's worth it to work with these organizations. Usually just a routine background check and such.

Funny you mention regulations and applications, I was just going to post that question. I agree, it is so worth it. Thanks again Angie

Awesome idea Angie!!