Written By: Yolanda Jiang, FCSN Voices Youth Reporter
Graphics By: Angela Zhao, FCSN Voices Graphic Artist

One brush, one canvas, one stroke, one painting, a flourish of creativity. This is the philosophy of FCSN’s Hands-On Art Class. Located next to the FCSN South Bay Center, the Colibri Pottery Studio sells many hands-on creations, ranging from paintings, candles, and pottery, and even hosts events and art classes for customers. On September 15th, the studio held its first one hour art class for the special needs students of FCSN. Under the guidance of the amazing teacher Ceci, the lead instructor and studio manager of Colibri Pottery Studio, the students were able to create a fall art piece using a paintbrush and a canvas. Moreover, thanks to the FCSN workers, Po-Yu Yen and Alyssa, the class proceeded smoothly with their support and assistance. 

This Hands-On Art Class would never have come to life without Po-Yu. Starting off in FCSN’s Adult Day Program, he has already worked with FCSN for 16 years and is now working in the Social Recreation Program.  Aligning with the goals of the Social Recreation Program, he wanted the art class to “provide opportunities for individuals to engage in meaningful, enjoyable, and inclusive activities that promote social interaction, personal growth.” When the Colibri Pottery Studio moved in next door, Po saw an opportunity to collaborate with them. “We believed that their expertise and creative environment could provide a wonderful and inclusive learning experience for our students.” He and other workers toured the studio and communicated with Colibri’s team constantly in person and over the phone.  Starting September 15, the program will have nine more sessions held every other Monday, with a new activity every session that ranges from canvas painting to air-dry clay. This allows the students to explore different types of hands-on projects and perhaps even discover their hidden talent while doing so. In the process of making the class come true, there were some difficulties with funding and finding space for the class. Despite the challenges, Po commented, “With teamwork, persistence, thoughtful suggestions from families of individuals with special needs, and the support of people in our community who bring love and passion, we were able to make it possible.” In the end, by partnering with Colibri Pottery Studio, Po was able to make the dream class come true. 

Alyssa, a new worker at FCSN, was also an amazing help to the overall class. Since the class is held on Mondays, when school is in session, not many youth volunteers were able to help out. Hence, it was only Alyssa and Po who assisted six students at once. Despite only working in FCSN for two weeks, Alyssa maneuvered here and there with true professionalism during class, assisting those who needed help. At the same time, she gave encouragement and stayed enthusiastic, brightening the moods of each student. Alyssa remarked that her empathic personality encourages her to “open [her] mind to how different people can perceive the world differently,” allowing her to work effectively with special needs students. Thanks to her help, she greatly contributed to the success of the class. 

The class started off with students arriving at the FCSN South Bay building, getting ready to walk to the neighboring studio. After signing in, the students were led to a room where the lesson would be held. Ceci, who has experience from working in local studios in Campbell, changed the original two hour class plan to an hour, under the request of FCSN. To tailor the lesson plan to her students, Ceci made the lesson simpler, but just as engaging as any other art class. Ceci explained that, no matter the student, she wishes to share the magic of art with everyone: “We learn a lot about ourselves when we face challenges in creating a piece. I see art as a form of therapy in a way. When we face a [challenge], how [do] we approach it? Do we start over or embrace our mistakes and make something new out of it?” 

For the September 15th class, Ceci decided to choose a fall theme and have the students paint a pumpkin with a fall leaf background. When working in her previous workplace in Art Beat, Ceci had worked with a special needs student and brought this experience, along with her full enthusiasm and patience, to the first class. As Ceci led the class from painting the pumpkin to adding the background and details, the class was very engaged, and by the end, the students proudly produced a jack-o-lantern with leaves surrounding the pumpkin. The timing of the class was perfect. The students had time to clean up and take pictures to send to their parents. 

Everyone was happy with the results and overall structure of the class. All the students had happy smiles on their faces, pleased with their final painting. They left with anticipation for next week’s fun. Ceci was also delighted with the class procedure and time management. Additionally, she mentioned that “[t]he class really emphasized the fact that special needs is a spectrum, there isn’t one size fits all approach. Some students loved to express themselves verbally, and others may be quiet and express themselves differently through body language or through activities like art.” Po, after the first class, also looks forward to future lessons, as the students were all eager and engaged during the first lesson. Still, Po explains that the overall class could be improved with more volunteers to help the students, as their presence can greatly improve the atmosphere and enthusiasm for the lesson. Also, the extra guidance and support for each student can assist with a smoother flow of the class. Po also talked about the limited space for the class and wishes that the class would be able to develop and expand in the future. “We… know that more families are interested in joining, but space and capacity are limited. Looking ahead, we hope to expand opportunities so more clients can benefit from this creative and engaging class.” 

Gallery: