Through my art classes I am noticing more and more that kids are having difficulty forming relationships, building self confidence, and managing their social skills.
They are not turning to friends or family for help…
they are turning to a DEVICE.
Social media is a way to pretend you are doing well. In other words…
a FAKE REALITY.
Taking 20 selfies to get the best one so everyone will think you are beautiful, sexy, and totally together.
Recently I realized an art student of mine (pre-teen) is going through a difficult time. I saw it in her artwork.
She acts like she is OK… but art doesn’t lie.
This is the art work she made when I asked her how she feels NOW and how she wants to feel in the FUTURE.
Her mask “I have to be perfect and it’s killing me”.
This breaks my heart. A talented, smart, beautiful young lady knows how she is really feeling but posts, several times a day, sultry, provocative pictures with a pouty mouth and disturbing verbiage. As if that will help her to feel better about herself.
Looking for instant fulfillment is the source of most conflicts in kids. Because they have not had to work for gratification they think it happens with one snap shot.
Learning the skill-set of who am I takes time. Not…
LOVE ME. I am beautiful.
So, this post is NOT an answer to all of this insanity. It’s a way to bring to our attention that ART can show how we really feel. It can be a visual to know that we all need a little help navigating through the chaos of this world we live in.
I am noticing that more students are making masks with a DUALITY in their persona.
“I need to be this… but I feel like this”.
And this is OK. It is normal to recognize our shadow side. We all have it.
But to be afraid of it, and try to hide it (with superficial selfies and fake social media…) is the damaging part.
So, I work with counselors and therapists to help them see what is really happening in the mind of their clients. Understanding ourselves takes time and visuals can help the process.
PS. If you are interested in some of my art classes go to any of my
ART with a Purpose Books
and do some artwork for yourself. You will be amazed.
