Irene’s pub is much like any other pub. As the cliché goes, it’s friendly, cozy and unassuming.
But lately, the pub, located on Bank Street near Fifth Avenue, has added splashes of colour to its walls.
It’s hard to not notice them – against the neutral wood-panelled walls, hangs a dizzying array of paintings in lush, rich colours – orange, green, red, and yellow.
The paintings came from Cambodia where they were painted by orphaned children.
As it turns out, Jaya Krishnan, an Ottawa-based artist, went to Cambodia for four months to teach the orphaned children painting skills and he came back with a collection of works.
Krishnan launched his exhibition earlier this month at the pub where it will run until Nov. 5 and he is selling the paintings for between $20 to $150.
The proceeds will cover the basic needs at the orphanage run by Orphans and Disabled Arts Association and where the children live.
But this is more than just an exhibition to raise money. The real purpose is recognizing these children’s talent.
In a country where UNICEF reports one third of Cambodians living below the poverty line and 45 per cent of children are suffering from malnutrition, it is humbling to see how these children’s circumstances can’t stifle their talent.
The sheer diversity of representational and abstract visualization in the paintings reflects each child’s preference and individuality.
For example, when you pop by, look at the two paintings of elephants beside each other, one is an exact replica –beautifully detailed – of an elephant, while the other painting challenges the eye because it blends elephants into columns of a temple.
You can’t tell whether you’re looking at elephants or a temple anymore.
The value of the paintings – monetary aside –is increased because of the children’s genuine talent.
The art exhibition has double-fold benefits: it teaches the children that their hard work will not go unnoticed and it provides them with their basic needs – food, shelter, and education.
Nurturing children’s talent is important because it validates their self-worth at the critical stage in their development, and encourages them to pursue their passion.
More so, as in this case, it teaches them that the basic economics of business works and it shows that children’s art isn’t underestimated.
Whether it be painting, sculpturing, sewing, dancing, or singing, all kinds of talent have to be supported.
As ODA and Krishnan show, it’s proven that art, a passion some nay-sayers may think of as useless or irrelevant, can be an economically viable solution for dire situations.
While the proceeds from the painting may not cover all the costs of the orphanage, it’s still an effective way to teach the children the values of hard work while nurturing their self-worth.
It’s not just about buying the art; it’s about appreciating the art.
It’s wonderful that the children are painting art to express themselves, selling these paintings to buyers in Ottawa, and subsequently raising money for their orphanage.
Evidently, it’s true when they say art isn’t always child’s play.