Workshop with the YMCA

To coincide with the MAY DAY exhibition; we assigned kids from the YMCA (3rd to 5th grade) to make watercolor paintings and color pencil drawings of what they wanted to be when they grew up. The children were briefed not to restrict themselves to a known occupation, but to invent an ideal one. Then we gave them a second project.

For the second project, students were to illustrate people they would help - as the invented occupation - on a card. We explained to them that their philanthropy should not be restricted to something within their field. To better illustrate this idea, we gave examples of how some volunteer their services outside of their professional skills. One of the examples we gave was: "In Iran the wrestlers are generally the first to help during natural disasters (ex: earthquakes). They feel compelled to help because of how physically fit they are as well as they are taught to do so." The finished card is then intended to be presented to someone within the field - or closest to it - with the idea that it might inspire them to help others.

The majority of the students chose a teacher as their occupation. The most interesting invented occupation was a pastry chief astronaut.

Scans of their illustrations will be posted soon.