What Art Class Teaches That Has “Nothing” to Do With Art
- Umme Salmaa Bharmal
- 12 hours ago
- 3 min read
Umme Salmaa Bharmal
Contact me at: 9920492453
Confidence, persistence, emotional calm — the quiet lessons hidden inside drawing
When people hear that I teach art, they usually imagine paint, brushes, sketchbooks, and colourful mess.
Yes — those things are part of it.
But what I witness in an art session is something much deeper.
Art class becomes a quiet space where children and sometimes adults learn how to:
Slow down
Observe carefully
Face mistakes without panic and
Trust their own thinking
Over the years of teaching, I’ve realised that some of the most important things students learn in my studio have very little to do with art itself.
Interestingly, this idea is not just something teachers feel intuitively.
Research in art education has also shown that engaging in visual art strengthens self-efficacy, emotional intelligence, and creative confidence.
You can read the research here: Click
When I read studies like this, I realise they are describing something I see every week in my classes.
Let me explain what I mean.
Confidence
In art, things rarely work perfectly the first time.
A line goes wrong.
A colour mixes into something unexpected.
A drawing looks nothing like what we imagined.
But students try again.
They adjust.
They change something.
And slowly they realise something powerful:
“I can fail and still make something beautiful.”
Confidence grows quietly through this process.
Not from praise.
But from experience.
Problem Solving
Every artwork becomes a series of small decisions.
Where should this line go?
What colour balances this space?
How do I fix something that doesn’t feel right?
Students learn to pause and think.
Research on creative learning shows that participating in visual art can strengthen problem-solving skills and cognitive flexibility, helping children adapt and find solutions in uncertain situations.
In art class, this looks simple.
But what’s really happening is that the brain is learning how to say:
“Let me try another way.”
Persistence & Grit
Many drawings become difficult halfway through.
Students feel frustrated.
They want to start again.
They want to give up.
But art teaches a different response.
Stay with it.
Make one small change.
Then another.
Education research also highlights that strong art programs help develop attention, grit, and empathy in students.
Finishing a drawing becomes a quiet lesson in resilience.
Creative Thinking
One of the most freeing things about art is this:
There is no single correct answer.
A sky can be purple.
A tree can be red.
A house can float.
Art allows children to imagine possibilities instead of searching for the one “right” response.
This freedom builds creative confidence — the belief that your ideas matter.
Emotional Regulation
This is something I notice almost every class.
A child arrives restless or distracted.
After ten minutes of drawing, their breathing slows.
Their hands move gently.
Their attention settles.
Research in arts education has also linked creative activity with stronger emotional regulation and empathy in students.
Art becomes a safe place for feelings to move.
Sometimes colours express what words cannot.
What I Try to Teach
When I teach drawing, I am not only teaching technique.
I am teaching attention.
How to look carefully.
How to notice light and shadow.
How to be patient with your own progress.
Drawing becomes a practice in learning how to see the world more deeply.
And sometimes also how to see ourselves more gently.
Art in Our Life
Art doesn’t have to live only in museums.
It can exist in:
a sketchbook on a table
a quiet Sunday drawing session
a moment of noticing colour in the sky
Art is not only about becoming an artist.
It is about becoming more aware, curious, and present.
An Invitation
If you or your child would like to explore drawing in a calm, thoughtful way, I run small art sessions focused on:
Observation
Creativity
Patience and
Learning to truly see
These are not rushed classes.
They are spaces where students slowly develop confidence, focus, and creative thinking — one drawing at a time.
If you are curious about joining, feel free to reach out.
I would love to welcome you into the studio.
Warmly,
Umme Salmaa
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