Expert urges parents to support artistic children

Founder of the Greenhouse Art Empowerment Centre (GHAEC), Dr. Theresa Iyase-Odozi, has called on parents to support their wards who have the flair for art, saying the skill could open doors of unlimited opportunities for them. She made this call at the 2023 Art Exhibition organised by Greensprings School, Anthony campus in Lagos. 

At the event, the art expert expressed her pleasure in the students’ artworks, while complimenting their creativity and interpretation of works. Reiterating her advice, Iyase-Odozi encouraged parents to continuously support their artistic children, as not doing so could hurt them for a long time. 

She said: “I am seeing these artworks for the first time and I’m impressed because I can see uniqueness and beauty in each of the works. There are so many unique talents produced by Greensprings School and my interaction with them showed that art is inbuilt into them. The students were able to interpret their artworks and the message behind the artworks made them beautiful. It takes the eye of an artist to do this. The children should be allowed to bloom because they have the potential to be great artists.

“I encourage parents to continuously support their children who are artistically inclined. With art, they can get to wherever they need to be. Artistic creativity will take them to places that money cannot. The art in these students will always propel them and if not expressed, will be a lifelong pain for them. Thus, students who desire to be artists should continue to forge ahead with focus and practice, regardless of any obstacle in their career path.” 

The theme for the art exhibition was “expression,” and based on this, some of the students incorporated traditional and modern designs in their artworks, with diverse mediums like acrylic paint, oil colour, watercolour, charcoal, and pastel.

Other students exhibited photography portraying stories about Nigerian society and current happenings in the country. The exhibition featured 16 students who showcased a total of 55 expressive artworks and most of the artworks were sold.