My Art Class Experience in Portugal Synopsis

I advertised and announced the art class I was giving at the local Tourist Office for Sao Martinho do Porto. I arranged a meeting with the director to discuss requirements. The director needed to approve my flier and then it would be displayed together with all other activities happening in the village in August 2009.
The class was a success. I had over ten attendees (including parents who also participated) and the following is a synopsis of the class including pictures of the class activity and art work of the students.
My class was on creating art with paper collage. I brought all the necessary supplies to class which included various old magazines and old post cards. Each student was given poster paper and supplied with bowls of white glue (diluted with water) to create their individual collages.
My instructions were to select their images, rip them out (no scissors allowed) and past them on their composition paper using imagination to create their personal collage.
Before the class began, I showed them examples of my work and demonstrated by creating my collage in the class.

After everyone finished, I invited each student to talk (or tell their story) about their work. Their responses and finished art work was astonishing for me. Some wrote titles on their work (e.g. “My World”, “The Lovers”, “Beauty” and “Holidays”) and I noticed that each had portrayed their inner ambitions (children and adults) exposing bits of their psychological self. For example, the collage “The Lovers” (child, 11 years old) selected pictures of various young couples and two large red hearts. Most likely this child has been influenced by television or people in her world that are dating. Another titled “Holidays” (adult) was composed of Christmas themes and family gatherings. I feel she displayed herself as an adamant homemaker.
Finally, at the finish of class I mentioned that their art was an expression of who they were and was very happy with their interesting art. Also, I feel this class form showed me how art could be a representation of self expression and self discovery as well as beautiful art.