THE JAPAN TIMES WEEKLY
Saturday, December 29, 1984

Education

　When young children are troubled, they are often unable to let others know what is bothering them. Either they lack the experiences that allow them to express themselves. or they simply do not know the words required. A small thing can go uncorrected until it becomes a serious problem. Atsushi Imai, an artist in Kasugai City, Aichi Prefecture, has spent most of his professional life trying to help children before problems develop.

　Imai is the director of Taiyo Productions, a group of artists in the Nagoya area who work with children every week. They provide various activities and classes designed to enrich the lives of children. They also work closely with parents trying to fill any communication gap between the parents and their children.

　Imai believes that schools today place too much emphasis on grades and achievements and ignore the emotional development of children. He says that this poor school environment has led to school phobia and the school and domestic violence that is now widely reported in the news media. Of course, Imai is not the only one who feels this way, but he is one who is trying to do something about it. Not only working directly with parents and children, he has appeared regularly on local television and radio and in newspapers letting others know the importance of an emotionally balanced environment for children to grow up in.

　A weekly painting class held at a church in Toyoyama, just north of Nagoya, is a good example of Iamai's work. The class is open to all children, and visitors to the class can see them all busy with crayon, pencil and paint. Sometimes, they will be working on a still life at the front of the room. Sometimes, they might be working on their own interpretation of a theme or just creating whatever they want. The children work at their own level with the younger ones usually using crayon and watercolor, while older ones often use charcoal and oils. Often, they might use other techniques such as glue and colored paper torn into small pieces to make pictures.

　The children enjoy the Classes. Creativity is encouraged and the children are expected to express whatever they want. Imai and the other artists of Taiyo Productions who assist him walk around the class giving individual attention and help to all who need it. Although it may seem like a regular painting class, a lot more than simply teaching color and composition is done here.

　As in many classes for children, reports are made up for each child and given to the parents. Imai's reports are very thorough and reflect what he is trying to do. He uses his training and experience as an artist to see through a painting into the feelings of the child who painted it. Painting becomes a window to the heart. Imai has found that some emotions and feelings are consistently expressed by certain colors and shapes used by children in painting. Be analyzes these and makes comments on them in his reports. These can be used to understand the child better.

　The reports also include comments on each child's creativity and imagination and how they respond to different themes. Individuality and expression are important. The child's understanding of the themes and how they relate to past experiences allows Imai to have an idea of how children see the world around them. It is these and other factors that Imai uses to communicate with children. They allow him to see some problems that the child cannot express in words.

　It is Imai's goal to prevent emotional and developmental problems in children, but he also tries to help those who already have problems. He has worked with emotionally disturbed and autistic children in the past and is currently working with three who come to his classes like other children, but each, with his or her own unique problem and degree of severity, is treated differently. Imai does not try to cure the child himself, but tries to help the parents and others understand the child better. Here also, what the child paints and how he or she interprets an exercise can give clues to what the child is feeling.

　He has had some successes. Not only has he been able to help emotionally disturbed children and determine emotional problems in other children before they get serious, he has also been able to find physical problems as well. One boy, for example, showed an unusual amount of attention to the noses of people he painted in pictures. Imai noticed this and informed the parents. After checking with a doctor, it was found that the child did have a problem that required medical treatment.

　As an artist, Imai specializes in Western-style painting. The other artists in Taiyo Productions work in a wide variety of fields from traditional painting and printing to more modern graphic art, film and video. Their most visible works would be the large mosaic murals they have done in the Nagoya area. In a country that has often been criticized for it's lack of creativity and in a world where communication is becoming more and more important, it is fortunate that children have the chance to learn from these people. Painting and art can greatly expand their understanding of the world and the world's understanding of them.

ANDY BOONE
Special to the Weekly