Celebrating Our Talents at

Artclusive @ *SCAPE

” People with dyslexia have talents that many do not see. While dyslexia brings about reading and spelling challenges, it is also linked to strong visual skills, a vivid imagination and a greater appreciation for colour, tone and texture.”

From 9 March to 16 March 2019, The Dyslexia Association of Singapore (DAS) held its first mega art event, Artclusive@*SCAPE. As an ArtVenture initiative, 25 artworks by students from DAS were displayed at the atrium of *SCAPE. ArtVenture also conducted its first local art workshop and Art Jamming session to promote inclusiveness and diversity. Artclusive@*SCAPE was well received with a total of 46 sign-ups for the activities, signifying positive support for students with dyslexia.

Artclusive@ SCAPE was an excellent platform to direct the public’s attention to the artistic talents of students with dyslexia. The event attracted the public to view artworks done by DAS students ranging from 7 to 16 years old. The artworks were done through various mediums, such as acrylic paint, crayon, colour pencil and watercolour.

In addition to an art exhibition, our DAS students were treated to an experimental exposure workshop on the use of watercolour (conducted by Educational Therapists from the ArtVenture team, Mr Faisal and Ms Sze Ying). Students were then asked to step out of their comfort zone and into the role of a teacher by engaging and teaching the public what they have learnt from the workshop earlier.

To prepare for this workshop, a DAS student from Tampines Learning Centre, Charlene Yeo and Educational Therapist, Mr Faisal collaborated to create a mascot that was printed on postcard-sized watercolour paper for participants to paint on. Participants were encouraged to name and colour the mascot. Charlene also came up with a story for her mascot, a little slime on a mission: “One day, it slid across of a blob of wet paint, absorbing the colours into its body. As it continued to slide around, it left a trail of colours. Just like the students in DAS, it enjoys absorbing new skills, and leaving a positive mark in the world.”

Ms Shirley Teo, a walk-in participant of the workshop said “This event is for a good cause, embracing inclusiveness in modern society. My children enjoyed the activity, guided by friendly and confident students from the DAS.”

Mr Lee Siang, CEO of DAS, said in an earlier media release, “People with dyslexia have talents that many do not see. While dyslexia brings about reading and spelling challenges, it is also linked to strong visual skills, a vivid imagination and a greater appreciation for colour, tone and texture. We hope that Artclusive@*SCAPEwill raise public awareness about the strengths of people with dyslexia and strengthen our students’ confidence in their unique artistic potential.” Indeed, the event managed to do just that as it received positive feedback from students, parents and the general public.

By Mohamed Faisal bin Mohamed @ Adam
     Educational Therapist, DAS Main Literacy Programme ArtVenture Team Leader, Tampines Learning Centre

     Sng Sze Ying
Educational Therapist, DAS Main Literacy Programme SES Maths, Tampines Learning Centre

This article was published in FACETS Vol 1 2019

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