Creating magic with children

Saturday, 5 January 2013 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Cheranka Mendis

An avid artist and a designer since childhood, Anna Flick’s goal is to create a space for children to give life to their imagination. Having founded Magic Child, a forum that holds art and crafts classes for those between ages 4-13, Flick aims to let out the magic that is inside the child, inspiring their creativity, encouraging talent and boosting confidence.

She came to Sri Lanka in early 2010 with plans to travel to India soon after, but circumstances have made her stay put – with no plan to leave anytime soon. Influenced by the number of summer camps she attended as a kid in Austria as well as the art school, HRL Ortwein Graz which she attended for six years since she was 13 years old, she wants to let the local kids experience creativity with no restrictions, and little push from teachers. “I want to guide them and watch while they let their imagination flow. This is when the best ideas come. This is when their creativity works,” she said. “I want to inspire them to come out with their own ideas.”

“I have been drawing and crafting ever since I was a little child. I was also interested in photography, film etc.” Flick acknowledged that both her parents are teachers and that growing up, her father was very much into photography and videography. Interestingly, her husband also works in the film industry which has influenced her work as well. Presently she is also working as a freelance graphic designer. “I have always wanted to do something that makes the world a little better,” Flick said. “This is why I want to work with children. Also, I did a lot of art classes such as summer camps as a child and I fondly remember my time there and would like to share the same here.”

At Magic Child, a variety of activities have been put in place so that everyone can pick their favourite to work on. “I do not want to teach the art children learn in school. What they learn are the techniques. What I want to do is to encourage the ideas and creative thinking which is a skill that will help children in many areas later on.” From drawing to painting to photography to film, children have much to enjoy. The older kids are taught about media – how TV works, how to work out a TV series etc. as well.

“I want to give children the inspiration to be creative in all areas. My final dream is to have summer camps and organise it at an affordable rate for all,” Flick said.

She also hopes to partner with Design for Change, India – an organisation that looks at building a ‘I can’ attitude among children by letting them face their problems, be it unclean bathrooms in schools to homework issues, to set up a branch in Sri Lanka.

Flick is currently holding art and crafts classes through MILK at Barnes Place every Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons from 8 January. Classes are conducted under three age groups – ages 4-6, 7-10, and 10-13. Her final goal is to write children books one day, she said complete with illustrations. Currently, she is working on writing pre-school books for children to get accustomed to the work in schools. She also hopes to hold a collective class series in the future which encompasses writing, drama and art for children.