Painting Talk – finding value in life through the brush

Following graduation from high school, many children with severe physical and mental disabilities are unable to enter the workplace or continue onto higher education and end up having no choice but to be cared for at home. Spending long periods alone at home, they lose their ability to interact with people and focus in life. The frustration and dejection they face is unacceptable to both parents and educators. Taiwan Painting Talk Association founder, Tsai Qi-Hai (蔡啟海), believes an art syllabus can help students with disabilities reestablish a link with society. Moreover, it is hoped the creative process can assist the kids to build confidence and find meaning and value in their lives.

Taiwan Painting Talk Association has already become the focus in life for many students. Therefore, the association is striving to establish a garden complex that includes an art studio-cum-coffee shop, where students whose parents will slowly lose the ability to care for them over time can earn a living for themselves by selling artwork or simple meals. The project provides the children with the hope of becoming independent one day in the future.

以下為中文對照

許多重度身心障礙者在結束高中學業後，面對無法進入職場或繼續升學的未來，最後只能選擇回家接受照護。他們長期獨處家中，不但喪失與人相處的能力，面對沒有生活重心的人生，心理上的沮喪和挫折是家長和教育者所不樂見的。「台灣畫話協會」創辦人蔡啟海希望以美術課程，幫助這些身障學生重拾與社會的鏈結，並在創作的過程中，讓他們建立對生命的自信、找到生活的重心與價值。

畫話協會對許多學生來說已經成為他們生活中的重心，正因如此，協會希望在未來可以成立一個畫室結合咖啡廳，甚至還有小花園的複合式園區，讓畫室的學生在家長逐漸失去照顧他們的能力時，能自食其力的在園區裡賣點自己的藝術品或簡單餐飲，給予自己未來一個獨立生活的希望。