DRAWING

anugerahadiwarta.org

By Putu Wijaya

The new instructor for drawing subject entered the class. However, half of the class benches are empty. He turned back into the school-office inquiring about whether there are less students interested in the subject. According to the report, there are 2o persons registered. If the drawing subject is not being attended, the problem might be due to the fact that the children were forced to participate on account of other classes were fully occupied. They do not want to be painters.

The instructor was not discouraged, He observed closely the five children who were ready with their drawing papers and several tools in front of them.

“Children,” said the instructor while smiling,

“are you ready for drawing ?”

“Ready!”

“Well. Now put down your drawing tools. All stand up. Do not hold anything. After that follow me outside the class without speaking even one word. Understand ?”

“Undersand!”

“Stttt ! Do not speak!”

The children were laughing while covering their mouth.

“Take care,. . No one is speaking again ! Ready? Now follow me.”

The instructor went out of the class followed by the five children.

“Where are we going to, Sir ?”

“Stttt !”

“But I took off my shoes, I thought that we are only drawing !”

“Stttt !”

Then the instructor give a signal with his hand that the matter should not be pondered. He invited the children to come along with him to the school-canteen.

“Pay careful attention, everybody is allowed to order one drink and one snack at prices that do not exceed 20.000,--, but choose a colour that is different from the one already taken by your other friends. Please !”

The children were confused.

“Do not be afraid. All shall be paid by me. Remember, the colour must be different from the one taken by your friends. If you are not fast, you will lose your part. Go !”

The children were startled ridiculously. Bu they wee all contented. They scrambled to choose according the instruction. Two children wee not successful in obtaining the required colour. They were forced to take what is only available. Even though they do not like it.

“Well, if everybody has already their part, please sit down, but you are not allowed to eat. Try to have a look at the food you bought. How many colours are there ? Have you ever seen goods that have similar shape or colour like this food? Pay careful attention to it for 15 minutes.”

A child raised his hand wanted to ask something.

“You don not need to ask. Do as what I have instructed just now.”

“It will become cold, Sir and it would not be nice to eat.”

“Stttt ! That’s why it is not necessary to chatter. Carry out my instruction” The children executed the instruction rather tickled. Just after 10 minutes a new command was given by the instructor.

“It’s enough, now you may eat. But eat slowly and finish it in 20 minutes. Who finished before 20 minutes, that means you have to pay yourself. Start now !” .

The children were all laughing. And then they understand that this was only a play. They started eating slowly while looking stealthily at the wall clock. They chewed slowly. And swallowed their drinks bit by bit.

Exactly 15 minutes, all of them were putting the rest of the snacks into their mouth so that some got choked down and felt as if they would like to vomit. All were laughing. The instructor invited them to return to class. They were asked to be seated and taking their drawing tools. “And now, try to recall how was the taste of snacks you have taken. Were they tasty ? Put your feeling in drawing within 20 minutes !” The children were confused.

“You do not need to be upset. No need to think about. Paper is in front of you and you have a drwing tool. Draw anything you like concerning your experience just now. You have certainly your own favourite colour, use that particular colour to express the taste of your food when it is nice. If it is not, than use the colour you dislike. If the food taste was too salty, you may draw the sea, since sea water is salty. Thus, if your are confused, you may just make scratches like a confused person, but do not talk, but put your feeling in drawing. So, start now before the time is over !”

The children kept silent but then all of them were busy.

“All right, time is over. Each of you step forward and show your result of your drawing. Others may guess what is your feeling when looking at the drawing. We match up whether your feeling at the time you are making the drawing is similar to the feeling of your friends if they saw yours. Who is going to start !”

The atmosphere became cheerful. A few students from other classes were attracted and came to watch and later on joining. Those who were also students of the drawing subject and once running away, silently returned and took part in giving comments.

The following week, the class for drawing started to be visited by many students. Those who were not able to make drawings do not feel tortured. Since there were so many participants, the instructor was not able anymore to pay the food. He requested them to pay for themselves.

The children have no objection in this matter.

The drawing class became more densely. None of the children were absent. They were not invited to the canteen anymore by the instructor, but watching video. He created a new trick with the result that the subject of drawing is no longer drawing, but watching, listening, thinking, feeling, having an opinion and at the end expressing with lines, areas and colours.

“The subject of drawing is not aiming at turning them to be painters. Suppose if among them became later on a painter, Thank God ! If that is not the case, never mind. The subject of drawing is a subject to see by feeling and intelligence and later on draw it in accordance with your individual ability through appearance. This lesson would be really beneficial in order to foster you to become observer who understand the meaning of appearance of an entrepreneur, official, etc.”, said the instructor during play time break created by him.

Entering the next semester, the number of interested children in drawing increased. However, the job contract of the instructor was not extended. The School management has considered that he had carried out bad education for he was not giving lessons of drawing to the children, instead dragging them along to be fond of eating snacks and watching TV.

“We are very disappointed. How can that be like that, after one semester passed, none of the children are able to simply draw an ellipse imitating a glass for example, which is daily seen,” grumbled the Principal who felt that his school was being cheated.

Jakarta, Apil 24, 2009

Source: Arti Magazine, 18th edition