Fun and self-expression are an important part of adolescence. During our Virtual Paint meetUP, our teens engaged in both of these necessary elements.
Thanks to Pinot’s Palette of Elk Grove, our youth and mentors enjoyed an interactive virtual painting class. It was a great way to hold a group event even though we couldn’t be in the same place. Days before our class, Pinot’s Palette individually packaged kits with a canvas, paints, brushes and other supplies. Then our Founders worked with mentors to deliver the kits to the youth.
At our designated time, our group logged in to meet our painting instructor Kassandra. She shared it was her first time leading a virtual paint class and even though she was excited, she was nervous. While any nervousness was not obvious, her honesty was appreciated. It gave our teens a real-life example of how they can work through anxiety and accomplish something beautiful.
With blank canvases and computer screens in front of them, Mentoring Matches followed step-by-step instructions on how to mix colors and apply them to the canvas. For many of the teens and even some mentors, this was a first-time experience. Yet, it seemed like everyone was an artist by the incredible paintings that resulted! We’re very proud of our talented group and amazed at how each person created a uniqueness within the same scene.
An important part of our program is to create a sense of belonging, where teens from foster care experience peer support, adult role models and engaging opportunities. Even though we can’t meet in-person, we take pride in continuing to find creative ways to maintain our supportive community.
