Johnson Art Studio

About
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Dia Vivo School of Art offers art classes at no cost to children living in the Bancola barrio of La Romana, Dominican Republic. Many residents of the Bancola barrio live in substandard conditions and have taken desperate actions resulting in theft or prostitution to satisfy family needs. Dia Vivo desires to help children reach their full potential by encouraging education and entrepreneurship within the arts. Ages of the children are 7-15 years. Classes are held at the Dia Vivo (Bright Day) School of Art’s Brown Studio. In addition to teaching principles of painting and design, Dia Vivo students are taught to communicate ideas through art. They are also taught to think critically by critiquing their own art and art of other students and artists. Students are introduced to the art heritage of the Dominican Republic and other historical art sources. Self-sufficiency is also encouraged by teaching students to create marketable products using recycled materials. The products are marketed with the aim of providing each student with an income and savings for further education and assisting in Dia Vivo’s financial independence. Students are trained to build and maintain a portfolio to seek employment or for submission to a university. Staff members work with local institutions to ensure that Dia Vivo students may further their art education, upon acceptance, through scholarships.