Hillsides youth create colorful treasure boxes out of tissue paper and take out boxes at Hillsides “Free Arts Day” on November 18.

Creating art with salt, sandpaper and tissue paper, making boxes out of colorful paper, and molding clay into creative shapes awakens a child’s wounded spirit.  On November 18, children at Hillsides, a residential and community treatment center in Pasadena, experimented with many craft activities during “Free Arts Day” sponsored by Free Arts for Abused Children in Los Angeles. 

           “The philosophy behind Free Arts for Abused Children’s programs is simply that ‘Art Heals’,” Farnaz Mofarrah, sponsor for “Free Arts Day,” explained. “Many of the art projects the children do are designed by art therapists as a way to bring out their creativeness and be comfortable expressing themselves.”

Children were enthusiastically participating in a day of creative soul-searching.  From creating their own t-shirts and colorful treasure boxes, to making sand art and creating with clay, the children revived their feelings by recreating their thoughts and emotions on paper.

While working on making their own t-shirts, many of the children became so enthusiastic about their creations that they would show every volunteer what they had created saying, “Look what I did”. 

            “I enjoy working with children and teens and bringing them art which allows them to feel good about themselves,” explained volunteer and preschool teacher Alysa Rose Jaffe. Many of the Free Arts volunteers enjoy being a part of a happy day in the lives of these children whose happy days have been few and far between.

A Hillsides child shows Free Arts volunteers Rachel Leigh Cook and Jimmy Ngo the t-shirt he designed at Hillsides “Free Arts Day” on November, 18.

            “I like being a part of a nice day for these kids. If I can just spend a great day with these kids instead of having them be inactive and watching television I feel like I’ve accomplished something,” said volunteer and actress Rachel Leigh Cook.

The “Free Arts Day” was an incredible success with many of the children asking the volunteers when they will be returning while holding all of the amazing and imaginative projects they created with their new friends.