Dreams of Rio: Beyond the Dreams

For the third year in a row Dream Learn Work has organized and delivered our motivational workshop ‘’My Life, My Dream’’. We use creative tools to identify and illustrate the dreams of our participants. During four days of activities the participants learnt how to use watercolours, the techniques and the most important part – they learnt to dream!

Participants experimenting with watercolour at their first workshop.

In 2014, Dagny Nome (former DLW General Manager), created the project using photography to engage a selection of DLW participants in dreaming. The project had great results and, in 2015, photography and film were used. Dagny wanted to encourage our youngsters to be proud of the lives they live today, as well as develop big dreams for their futures. Completing an education and finding work is hard for everyone, and even more so for many of the young people we assist. She explains:

‘’I wanted to do something to boost their pride and thus, their motivation to hang in there, complete their training and get a decent job. Back in Brazil , I got a lot of support for the idea, and decided to apply for money from our main sponsor, the Norwegian oil company Statoil. They supported the project with funds to purchase cameras for the participants. The course was developed by myself and a group of volunteers that I knew through Atelie da Imagem, a photography school in Urca. We then invited photographer Fabricio Cavalcante to help run the first course.’’

This year the clothing brand from Rio de Janeiro NEGUIN presented a project where the students would use art to express their dreams and that, afterwards, their designs would be used as prints on the brand’s t-shirts. Their designer, Marco Camargo, specialises in watercolours and believed he could teach enough in four Saturdays for DLW participants to master the techniques, and be able to create beautiful art. He comments on the project:

‘’The great thing about watercolours is that you don’t necessarily need to know how to paint or draw. With a simple picture you can make effects with the water to create something beautiful with colours. Most of the youngsters never had contact with watercolour or art in general, and you can notice in their final work that, with easy techniques, which they learnt, it is possible to create great art without being a professional. When they first came to the workshop, this was what they feared [not being able to paint] and it is nice to see the happiness in them after they finished and saw the results – many couldn’t believe they would be capable of doing this.’’

DLW participant, Laryssa (18), said the experience was fantastic and explained after the workshop:

‘’I had never had contact with watercolours before, it was a completely new experience that I will remember for all my life. The first day was really intense, I wasn’t used to spending a whole day at a workshop, but after I got the grip of it, the days passed by so quickly. I am very happy that DLW inspires and motivates us to believe in our dreams and also, believes and trust us when we choose a path to follow in the future.’’

Laryssa holding her final art from the workshop. Her dream is to work as a physiotherapist in sports.

The workshop was held in a house in Santa Teresa with a great outdoor area and a view to inspire that the world is yours, and surprisingly enough, many of the arts consists globes, art by many youngsters whom basically hadn’t left the slums they were born in. One of DLW’s missions when sponsoring courses to these youngsters is to get them out of their local communities and widen their horizons. Sometimes the closest course is not necessarily the best option, because exploring is also a part of the growing process.

The workshop was held in a house where the outdoor area permitted to let the creativity flow.

The designs are now being printed onto the t-shirts and will be sold through NEGUIN’s homepage (http://neguin.com.br/) and at Dream Learn Work events. Stay tuned for more information how to buy our t-shirts!