Yaoling’s Art Studio helps youths develop creativity

And turning to young people, developing a creative mind is a primary goal in art. And Yaoling’s Art Studio at mile two and a half on the Northern Highway, is dedicated to this prospect. The after-school program is run by Yaoling Lee, a mother of three, and she took News Five’s Duane Moody on a journey to art and a healthy imagination.

Duane Moody, Reporting
Fifteen youths ranging from ages four to seventeen are currently enrolled in a one hour creative arts class that allows self expression and imagination through painting, drawing and molding clay objects. Proprietor and art teacher, Yaoling Lee, told us more about the power of the imagination.

Yaoling Lee, Proprietor, Yaoling’s Art Studio
“I want them to feel free to use their hands—simple things, pencil, crayon, water color, paper and their imagination fly. That’s the most important thing and they feel happy and that cure everything. Very important things, it’s a little bit abstract but everything simple. Keep everything simple nothing complicated. I have two class, the first class is more advanced, we do still life. I will teach them the… we are doing some fundamental training. The second class is age from five to twelve, beginner. We do imagination and I want them to practice colours and lines.”

Yaoling’s Art Studio charges a minimal fee of ten dollars an hour per kid and according to Yaoling, she just happy to teach art.

Yaoling Lee
“A lot of kids I’m teaching them, they yell Ms. Yaoling, Ms. Yaoling and I make them so happy, I don’t know why. I almost want to cry. Everyone’s so special. It’s not this one is more talented, the small one just a beginner. They are very special like stars, they shine and sparkle at night time. so happy, it’s doesn’t matter if it’s a big star or a little star, that’s it. I feel so comfortable, it’s like the fruit of my soul. If you don’t understand how it goes on, you will never understand how I feel.”

The parents agree that art lessons make their children more productive.

Dr. Sharmayne Saunders, Mother
“There is a direct connection between music and art and I think Ms. Yaoling found that gap that children who do music and art, they are more productive in schools. It helps them to think creatively, analytically, and I think analyzing starts at an early age. For me it was important that—considering my child is a first grader—that she begins to think analytically creatively and it’s not impacted by what as an adult I would think, it’s impacted by her judgment is included in there and I think art brings all that together.”

Nick Varde, Father of Aditya
“My son is very active in soccer and swimming and this develops another part of his personality. Ms. Yaoling’s way of teaching is excellent. She encourages them to come up with what’s within themselves rather than copying something or rather than just following certain lines. She encourages them to use their imagination. What I notice already is that handwriting becomes much better in school. I also noticed that when he writes compositions essays, they are more beautiful. His imagination is more limitless.”

Duane Moody
“Do you like this class?”

Aditya Varde, Art Student
“Yes.”

Duane Moody
“Why?”

Aditya Varde
“Because we do fun things and the teacher is really nice.”

Duane Moody
“What ih tech yoh fi do?”

Aditya Varde
“She lets us play with the clay from the river and the white clay from Taiwan and she let’s us draw and she’s really nice.”

Duane Moody
“You’re in one of the advance art classes. What have ou been learnin from that?”

Lucia Reyes, Art Student
“How to do still life drawings.”

Duane Moody
“So it’s more detailed?”

Lucia Reyes
“Yes.”

Jasmayne Saunders, Art Student
“I like it because I like to do arts.”

Jodi Murillo, Art Student
“I love doing art, I’ve been doing art ever since but I just got really the chance to do it and learn the techniques and strategies of how to make great art work.”

To showcase the many talents at her Yoaling studio, she is putting off an art exhibit for the budding artists and she encourages everyone to come out and see.

Yaoling Lee
“You will see many things inspire them and you will see how creative they are and that’s it; you will see.”

Reporting for News Five, Duane Moody.

The Art exhibit will be held on November twenty-ninth at the Art Gallery and Coffee Shop located on Princess Margaret Drive across from Nazarene High School.