“LOCA’s program at the youth shelter is perfectly in sync with what we do,it’s like a therapy within a therapy”
-Chelsea Burch, Volunteer Coordinator, Waymakers Laguna Beach Youth Shelter
LOCA Arts Education has provided top quality visual arts education to all ages in Laguna Beach, and beyond, for more than 30 years. LOCA’s unique strength is its ability to be mobile, providing free and affordable lectures, demonstrations, pop up studios, and classes throughout the City at commercial spaces, community centers, galleries, parks, resorts, and studios.
Waymakers Laguna Beach Youth Shelter is among LOCA’s many longtime institutional partners.
Each week LOCA provides an art class for the temporary residents at the shelter. Between 12 and 17 years old, these “everyday kids” have suffered a family, social, or mental crisis and been placed in the shelter to help them stabilize in a positive home-like setting.
LOCA art classes are one of the ways offered to help re-establish their emotional stability. Creativity provides a method of coping, communicating and connecting. It helps residents build problem solving skills while giving them a break from their immediate difficulties. Learning a new technique, or expanding on their prior art experience allows them to focus on something interesting, absorbing, and within their control. It helps many to ease their anxiety and stress
“If a resident feels overwhelmed when approaching an art project they are in the perfect place to discuss it with trained listeners who can help them look at how to deal with challenge. The lesson can then be applied to larger challenges in their life,” said Burch.
“Growing up is challenging in the best of circumstances, and overwhelming when situations are adverse” states Waymakers mission statement. LOCA teachers are key to the success of this program.
Allison Keefe, Elizabeth McGhee, Hillary McCarthy
Young, bright and sensitive, they custom-design projects that are challenging and inviting. Starting with familiar skills and materials, they teach how to enhance and make projects more interesting, all while engaging in positive, caring and supportive conversation.
Allison Keefe stated, “My project themes are typically open ended and open to interpretation. Participants may focus on process, possibly expressing emotion or perhaps a free flow, meditative energy, or they might choose to focus on method. It’s always so rewarding to introduce a new technique to someone and see them really get into it!”
“Being an art educator for LOCA at the Youth Shelter is incredibly rewarding. I love inspiring creativity in young adults and watching their artistic expressions flourish, said Hilary McCarthy
Elizabeth McGhee added, “Teaching art at the youth shelter is very close to my heart since art was one of the few things that gave me peace and calm in my teenage years. Watching the students gain confidence in their creativity and learning a new technique that they can tap into in the future just makes me feel awesome as a teacher.”
“Art making is a form of communication which assists coping on its own, but the feeling of community as the residents sit around the table and do art together is also very important. Connection and communication with others is fundamental. LOCA classes provide all those things!” said Burch.
Thank You from LOCA
Youth at the shelter, families at the library, children at Boys and Girls Club, after school kids at TLC and others are asking for more LOCA workshops. Please help LOCA continue serving our community by making an online donation today.