February 28, 2008
An artistic outlet for kids
Young Leeward Coast graffiti artists are being encouraged to express themselves through programs that allow them to showcase their art in ways that won’t get them arrested. Graffiti has long been a blight on our urban and suburban landscapes, though we’ve all seen some that we would have admired if it hadn’t been scrawled on the side of a bus or a freeway sound wall.
“It’s all about re-educating the kids and changing their thought process to create artwork instead of destroying public property,” says John Hina, originator of one of the prgrams. He invests his time and money into providing them with legal outlets for their work and encouraging them to develop their art in ways that might one day provide them with careers.
Vivian Ahsam is the prime motivator behind another progam, Youth Explosion. She’s recruited area businesses and commnunity groups to support an upcoming competition among local aerosol artists. “It’s really to help these kids turn something negative into something positive, and help them to see that this is destructive behavior that costs people a lot of money,” Ahsam said.
In times past most of these kids would have kept doing what they’re doing until they were arrested for defacing public property. I, for one, am glad to see a more positive approach that will challenge them to express their creativity in more socially acceptable ways. Their parents must surely appreciate it too, as they can quit worrying about late-night phone calls that jerk them from their pillows with pleas to rescue their children from central lockup.
source: HonoluluAdvertiser.com
Technorati Tags: graffiti, graffiti artists, Hawaii
Posted by skeet @ 1:02 pm • Art, current events
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February 29th, 2008 at 12:58 am, skeet’s stuff » Share Some Good Stuff Says:
[…] programs going on in my own neck of the woods. Young aerosol artists are being redirected to creative and legal outlets for their colorful […]
February 29th, 2008 at 10:03 am, Whim Says:
It is so good to hear about programs like this. It is important for kids to have a creative outlet and the arts just aren’t taught in school anymore due to cutbacks.