“Drawing makes me feel happy and special,” says 18-year-old Nina Bantoto, who is fond of painting Disney characters. She started drawing and painting at age 3. Early on, her parents also discovered she has autism.
Nina’s works bear an unmistakable vibrancy of youth, balanced by her unique style and skillful technique, whether she gives life to Queen Elsa of “Frozen” or a mesmerizing scene of flying lanterns from “Tangled.”
Nina’s works are some of the paintings on feature in the hall of the Brahma Kumaris Meditation Center in San Antonio Village, which plays host to the first exhibit of 11 children with disabilities this month.
The exhibit is organized by Prosel Pharmaceuticals in partnership with the Differently Special Achievers Movement (DSAM), an NGO that helps differently abled children develop and express themselves mainly through the visual arts.
Early this year, the two groups published a calendar for a cause that featured select paintings rendered by these children, whose art works were on exhibit at the center from May 11 to 12. These talented kids are Nina Bantoto, Miggy Ignacio, Miguel Pedroso, Ramon Villavicencio, Liwell Kleo Magalpo, Democrito Mendoza, Juan Gabriel Naval, Isaac Bo Yogore, Nicole Alyssa Co and Jenelyn Lipon.
Gracing the exhibit opening was former UN Assistant Secretary General and Senator Leticia Ramos-Shahani, who gave a welcome introduction. “This is a special occasion for our parents whose children have bloomed into artists,” Shahani said.
Actress and singer Timmy Cruz, one of the children's mentors, performed a song from her new album, “Circles of Love.” Cruz has been tapped by DSAM to mentor one child in particular, Angela, to develop her talents in singing and dancing.
Prosel owner Ellen Luna congratulated the parents and children, saying that their calendar for a cause has already gone international since coming out early this year. The calendars were given to the public for a donation of P250 each, the proceeds of which will go to DSAM’s mentorship program, which aims to bring professional artists into the aesthetic mentorship of children with disability.
Special Achievers or DSAM is a group of young occupational therapists that aims to create a space where children and young adults with developmental disability can re-discover their talents and put them to practical use within the mainstream of society.
Karen Navarro, one of its founders, explains that kids who have developmental disabilities are usually put through schooling or private tutoring, as their parents still dream for them to finish regular school, even when it is not within the kids' capacity and willing choice.
“Parents' aim for kids to go to school, but it doesn't have to be an end goal as they can also excel in other fields such as the arts,” Navarro says.
Indeed, in the light of current studies on multiple intelligences, it is now acknowledged that academic learning is not the only route to effective learning experiences. Allowing children to explore and follow their natural skills and abilities can be the best way for them to be guided into finding where their capacities suit best, rather than forcing them to fit into the mold of traditional pedagogy and education.
As an example, Navarro notes Miguel Ignacio, a 10-year-old boy with autism, loves to draw using pastels, which has been an effective way to calm him down. One of Miguel’s vivaciously-colored art works was chosen to be printed in DSAM’s “echo bag” campaign in 2013. Miguel’s paintings, ranging from arresting abstracts to still life, are also part of this current exhibit.
“We wish to help the children eventually become artists, and help bring their works to people or companies who might like to use his unique creations,” says Entezar “Pey” Abdulwahid, one of DSAM’s founders.
Indeed, these children are artistically gifted. One of them, 7-year-old Ramon Villavicencio, already exhibited his works at age 5 in Shangrila Mall in EDSA.
Nina, meantime, has been invited by the UST Guild of Thomasian Speducators to their travelling art exhibit early this year.
In highlighting their artistic strengths and capabilities, endeavors such as this offer children with disabilities a refreshing boost to grow into the fully functioning and happy individuals that they deserve to be. — BM, GMA News
SOURCE: GMA NEWS ONLINE - 16 MAY 2015
