Brandie Perkins, the owner of the Cathedral Arts School and Studio in Regina, believes in the power of the arts to change young people’s lives. She’s seen it first-hand.

“I love teaching art to children and youth. I think it is important to provide as much opportunity for kids to come and be creative, as well as, be a part of the creative community,” she says.

Out of all her students, Perkins sees about 10-15 youth a year go through her art classes thanks to Creative Kids support. She is thankful for the donors that help remove the financial barriers so kids can participate and gain skills that will benefit them as they grow up.

“The lessons teach children to think outside of the box, encourage creativity and imagination. Art can make you more observant as well. There are so many benefits such as expressing yourself, learning your own voice, your likes and dislikes.”

She notes that, at 9-years-old, she started painting and found a way to express herself despite her shyness, which allowed her to say on a canvas what she couldn’t through words. “I was more on the introverted side as a little one and I expressed myself through my paintings and I still very much do. I would rather paint you a picture of what I am feeling, even if it is abstract, than verbally do it.”

Perkins sees how art lessons have benefited a number of the kids supported through Creative Kids. One particular student stands out as a reminder of her own experience.

“After four or five sessions, she totally came out of her shell and changed from being very, very, shy to voicing herself more, as well as, taking instruction and running with it. I love seeing that kind of growth in any of the kids.”

In her classes, she starts her students with a theme and the fundamentals such as how to create a tree, hold their paint brush or how to use a paint knife. Then she moves into encouraging them to explore, finding their own style of art, whether it be painting with acrylics or trying a sponge, which leads to discovering their artistic voice.

Whatever medium her students settle on, she is just happy they have been given the opportunity to discover the practice of art because the financial barriers were removed to their participation.

“It makes my heart just grow. It makes me just so happy. Art brings all of us joy, especially when you make something that you are proud of and that you want to continue doing.”