Celebrity mother partners with art school

CEBU, Philippines - It was a chance encounter, so to speak. A leisurely walk in the mall brought a mother and her kids to a place that has now become a part of their daily routine.

"That's a nice art place," the mother remembers thinking. I wanted my kids to try it out. The apprehension that it may be something that she would have to force her kids to do soon vanished. All of her children, five of them in fact, just as soon declared they love the school.

The place is no ordinary art school. It is Global Art. It started in Malaysia in 1999 and now has more than 600 centers in 16 countries including the US, Australia, China and all Southeast Asian nations. It has been in the country since 2008 and has 10 branches to date all over the Philippines.

The mother, is herself, by no means ordinary. She is former Olympian, TV host and celebrity Christine Jacobs Sandejas who is now a wife to IT venture capitalist Paco and mother to Paolo, Gabby, Nina, Luis and Jaime.

Christine remembers that instantaneously the kids saw the improvement in their art skills. 

"My children comes home bragging, look Mama, I drew this!" Even my son Luis who is not so much into art is willing to try. He is still an avid student to this day.

Global Art takes pride in its unique learning system and technique. Aside from teaching the basics about drawing and coloring, the school transforms each child into a creative storyteller.

When a child is given a theme to work on such as a rooster or a shark, the teacher engages him in a discussion to explore the possibilities of what the rooster and the shark might be doing. Thus, each student, although given the same theme, would come up with different ideas from each other. The trained teachers would then help each student turn those ideas into a work of art. 

Thus, it is no surprise if a child draws the shark not in the ocean but in space exploring the universe. The rooster may be sitting on hay or gallivanting in Hollywood in a suit. Each child is also asked to write a short narrative about his work.

The exceptionally colorful and attractive art pieces that drew Christine's attention are made possible by exclusively made to order coloring materials and workbooks.

"My children definitely draw better than I do, color better than I do. It has come to a point where I am feeling insecure," Christine comments with a laugh.

She and her husband want their children to be exposed to as many fields as possible so they will have no fear facing life as they grow older. She feels Global Art contributes to a child gaining confidence.

At Global Art, school is open all throughout the year. Anyone can enroll anytime. The school offers programs that will suit a 3-year-old and also adults. Classes offered are creative drawing, painting, sketching, cartoon and comic making, crafts and clay. The painting program itself ranges from painting on a paper, canvas, cloth and even glass.  A student graduates on his own pace from one level to the next.

Christine comments, "I am lucky that my kids are all in the honor roll even without pressure from us. They do well in school, they do well in many other extra-curricular activities. It is not only sports and art but cooking, dancing, singing and we even do outreach programs."

I noticed that they learn to better manage their time and energy when they have a full plate. In a fast paced world, we want them to be used to the pressure all around them.

At the end of  the day, however, Christine and her husband want their kids to be loving, kind and self giving. Well rounded people with the right kind of values.

As the kids ham it up before the cameras, amid all the colorful artworks on the wall, the pastels and workbooks on the table, it is evident that they now feel so at home in the place that they found unexpectedly on a leisurely day at the mall.

Let your children discover the wonders of art. Junior level is from 3-4 years old; Foundation is for 4-6 years old; Basic 7-9 years old; Intermediate is 10-12 years old; Advance is 13 and above; Acrylic painting; Cartoon and Comic as well as Glass painting are 7 and above. The handicraft and clay program are for children of all ages.

Global Art is now open in Cebu City at the 2nd Floor Banilad Town Center. You can contact them at 0915-9333278 and you can also visit their facebook page at Globalart Cebu or website at www.globalart.com.ph to learn more about its programs and read about testimonies from parents and students about their experience in Global Art. (FREEMAN)