LYNN — The staff at Raw Art Works brainstormed for a way to keep its students connected and creative during their stay-at-home time through the pandemic.
They came up with the idea of putting together a coloring book, featuring art from staff, leadership, and the students themselves. At 40 pages, it’s been so successful, a second edition is in the works.
Jason Cruz, RAW’s clinical supervisor, and fellow expressive arts therapist Laura Smith were co-leaders on the project and both are thrilled that it’s been so well received by students and parents alike.
“We asked ourselves, ‘What can we do if we can’t be with the kids?’ “said Cruz. “The coloring book idea would give them time to chill and relax once they’re back from the computer stuff and their schoolwork is done … A lot of our kids’ parents are working on the front lines, and the kids are worried about that. Our challenge was to keep it light but hopeful.”
The initial plan was to make sure all RAW students received a physical copy of the coloring book and colored pencils or crayons to use, since not every home has a printer or the needed materials. The closing of public schools and the stay-at-home order made that more difficult, but a PDF of the book is available for free download to all on the RAW website. It has been downloaded from as far away as California.
At first, Cruz said, Kit Jenkins, executive director and co-founder of RAW, “put on a mask and dropped off the coloring book to places kids were.”
Cruz and Smith said RAW leaders wanted to increase the impact by reaching more kids. Partnering with Lynn Public Schools and Superintendent Patrick Tutwiler allowed the books to be sent home with the free school lunches distributed to LPS families every day.
The book, titled “When the sun comes up, be creative,” is for kids to design, color, and let their imagination run wild. The only rules: have fun, color outside the lines, make mistakes, laugh, share; start with the cover and create your own ending.
“How do we respond to the Coronavirus? How do we respond to all our challenges here at RAW?” asked Smith. “Here, kids are encouraged to say, I am … I create … we connect. Raw Art Works staff and youth know there is power in creativity, to help us through just about anything. We have learned that the arts allow you space to find solutions. Doodles, drawing and creating have been known to take us on adventures with our imagination. The staff and kids were given the challenge to create images of diverse cultural ideas that could help (us) and the community around us, as we all start to reframe the moments we are living in now.”
The first coloring book was geared toward middle school-age and younger kids. Volume 2 will shift to middle school and above, and RAW alumni will take part too.
“RAW has done a really cool job of pivoting, of addressing the question ‘How do we do this now, with everything closed.’ We hope this helps parents relax a bit and spend fun time with their kids,” said Cruz.
Smith said something unexpected happened during the process. “Our kids and our community are our greatest teachers. We can offer creative challenges, and the kids will say ‘We can do that, and we can do that with what we have in the house.’ Our young people are very creative, and they know creative ways to connect in the world now.”
For more information, go to www.rawartworks.org. To download the book PDF: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/596ce1e3b3db2b5b220c2350/t/5e7927f198ebb4297ed87e00/1584998406158/When+the+Sun+Comes+Up.+all+images+%281%29.pdf
Bill Brotherton can be reached at [email protected].
