By Heidi Trautmann

I like young people. I like to know how they think and what they do. From the age of six to early adulthood they are for a great stretch of time under the influence of teachers. One important discipline is art education, one of the most important, I would say. Why? Because a good art teacher works on the senses a human being has, more or less developed…and the degree of development again depends on…firstly the parents and then the teachers. The art teacher shows kids how to see and how to make use of it. He also teaches the children how to understand an object with all senses. Here is a story I was once told by a university teacher; he was teaching photography in architecture among others. One day he came into class and said to the students “here is an orange, photograph it”; and the students shrugged their shoulders and answered: ‘so what, it is an orange!’ “No”, said the teacher, “take it in your hand, squeeze it, smell it, taste it and then photograph it!” This answer contains the essence of what I want to say.

I went to see if this was so at the Girne American Group of Schools incorporating all levels of school except university the complex of which is on the other side of the road. I have come here more than once and find it a pleasant sight because of its colours and space. The public relation manager Mrs Burcin Karavelioglu met me in the entrance hall, she had expressed the wish to meet with me.

That day the place is swirling with children and young people, a stage for music is being erected in front of the door: it is Children’s Day, everything is in a festive mood.

Burcin takes me on a tour through the house to show me the various departments. I am led through the corridors all decorated with pictures the kids did, and beneath in a row on pegs the school satchels. All very colourful, swinging you into the mood for school. The doors to the classrooms are all open, it is like a travel through fun-land, the teachers and kids give us a wave and I can admire the art work on all the walls and hung on a washing line across the room and I am told that in all departments art is an important subject from early age on and art is the best way to explain something to children. The nursery. what a lovely place with its play and rest rooms, small blue beds, reminds me of Snow White and the seven Dwarfs. I especially like the art work the kids did together with the very sympathetic nursery teacher, a big tree with the kids’ green hand imprints all around, very symbolic. There is the Prep School where the kids are first taught English because the language of teaching is English, then we have the Primary School and from there International Middle School and College.

In one of the departments we meet with Şenol Özdevrim, an old acquaintance, of whom many pictures are displayed on the walls of the department. He is a fine artist and adorable teacher much loved by children, somehow he always knows what children and young people think. He teaches the children love for life and fun doing arts. He, the artist, has a very special way of seeing the world, a sort of cosmos and we in it, part of it, part of the wonderful and colourful realm of tiny worlds floating.

The art room is big and very stimulating in its creative disorder, kids will feel at home here and jump right into action. Manifold installations just begun cover the tables; the students’ project at the moment is to create something of things found, neglected, an environmental project to teach respect for all kind of objects, to exalt one’s imagination of  how things can be reused. There is a lamp stand with a violin attached to it; an old guitar decorated with mirror fragments, other mosaic works using mirror glass fragments on a picture frame, or used for a huge portrait on cardboard; there is clay work done, small figures formed, glazed and fired in the small kiln available to the department;  stones used to create animals from; porcelain plates painted, and finally the drawing and painting section; Şenol pulls various works from the shelves to a show to me, one project is to create patterns in one object or animal thus discovering the richness of forms and colours that are included, for example a hen, a snail or a fish. There are some really decorative art works done, the average age is around 7-11 years. Respect for the detail is taught, pencil drawing, an important discipline in fine arts. I am sure that children will not forget the playful atmosphere of their art classes.

Now it gets serious, we come to the art section where students are prepared for A-Level and AS-Level. These kids have already made up their mind and have their heads directed towards university education. The students I find in the classroom on the day I am visiting Mrs Gulten Can, have come here from other schools for a course with this renowned teacher. She was an art teacher for all her life, first at the “Future American Elementary School, then for State Schools. When she retired and thought that she could now continue to do something for herself as an artist, she was called to help at the GAU, a job she has been doing now for fifteen years. “I feel responsible for the students and I cannot leave them, I give them all my time.” Gülten Can was born in Limassol, her father was an architect, important for me to know in order to understand where this sense for precision comes from. “You cannot develop your own style when you have not learnt how to do proper drawing. First the basics then you can spread your wings.” I sincerely believe in it myself.

“Art produces knowledge” is her belief and the basic of science and research is art…”  Yes, we are on the same wavelength….”and”, she continues, “you can only become a good artist when you have learned to use your tools, your basic knowledge.”  Art is science, the way you have to explore the rules of nature, of light and shade….art is architecture, the way you learn composition, that is the relation to all other dimensions,  positive and negative spaces, the rim of the paper also is a relation you have to consider.

“Usually it takes two years to prepare a student for the entrance exams; to prepare a portfolio according to the conditions of the university in view takes a while and utmost concentration is needed.”

Gülten Can shows me some samples of various students, there is one that gives an idea of how the process runs off: the project is ropes in the harbor; the first drawing is with pencil, very delicate, then colour and in the sequence more and more abstract, an absolutely fine work. The students present in the room, they are about 15 and 16 years old, work on a project: Fruit falling out of a basket. I lean over their shoulders and study the various sheets; it is all about texture and composition. I am quite excited to see them work so skillfully and so concentrated.

“When students come to me for the first time, I take my time to watch them while working, I don’t interfere, it is necessary to learn about their character, their individual ways in order to work with them fruitfully; during the process of working they will learn to do away with problems they have, they will get their vision clear. Our projects are objects from nature, man-made objects such as an antique cabinet or a bridal chest, starting with realistic views towards individual composition and abstract concepts. Another project we have been working on just recently is: ‘Getting dressed’, that means the students have to research the whole process, of choosing, getting ready and putting the garment on; I saw hands zipping the dress up, another pulling the dress over the head; very interesting drawings, I would love to see the continuation into the abstract design.

Gülten Can is very proud of her students. “We are a good art school and our results have been recognized in more than one competition, only first and second prizes, one prize for the students was to visit the USA. I would like to do much more for the students and with the work that is left behind. We would need one room where to have a permanent space to display the works in; the wall outside the classroom is not enough; we would also need a proper archive system where we can store the precious files and works properly.”

Where will they go from here, I ask. “They will go into advertising, architecture, film and TV industry, perhaps become a famous artist, a theatre designer, there is no limit, arts are needed everywhere. Recently one student who wanted to become a diplomat was asked why study fine arts then? He answered: Such jobs require creativity!” So very true!

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