The Cartwheel Initiative, in partnership with The Ashram at Santiniketan Sishutirtha - a nonprofit dedicated to upholding the basic human rights of less fortunate children, is proud to offer an ongoing visual arts program for young learners. The class welcomes two age groups, children aged 4–10 and youth aged 11–18 with lessons shaped around each group's unique abilities and creative instincts. The goal each year is to bring a new curriculum, culminating in an annual show that celebrates every student's growth and hard work. Please check out the2025-26 exhibition. This program is about more than art. It is about giving children a space to discover their voice, believe in themselves and experience the quiet, lasting pride of creating something entirely their own.

2026 - Curriculum

Theme: Spotlight Artist

This year, the classes will have four components:

Each month opens with an in-depth discussion of a featured artist. Students explore the artist's background, style, influences, and significance within art history.
The instructors demonstrate key techniques and stylistic elements drawn from the featured artist's work. Students observe process, method, and decision-making in real time.
Taking inspiration from the featured artist, students create their own original work. The goal is personal expression guided by the artist's approach.
Students are introduced to a different artistic medium each month, building a broad foundation of materials and tools over the course of the year.

The following is the list of artists that the students will study:

Jamini Roy - May/ June 2026
Claude Monet - July/Aug 2026
Nandalal Bose - Sep/Oct 2026
Henri Matisse - Nov/Dec 2026
Rabindranath Tagore - Jan/Feb 2027
Leonardo da Vinci - March/April 2027

2025 - Curriculum

Theme: Home & Identity

Below is the general curriculum for the program.

Introductory Class: Students gathered for a day to make paper masks, draw landscapes, and experiment with eco-printing in preparation for the upcoming classes!

Month 1 & 2 : Students drew and painted their ideal homes, then brought their individual pieces together with some of their favorite animals in a neighborhood! These months focused on observation, simple shapes and objects, and the color palette.

Month 3 & 4: Students worked on drawing perspective from still lifes. They also worked on landscape drawing, how to sketch real life subjects, composition and shading. As one of the projects, kids drew an object (pencil, cup, glass, feather) that they have a special connection with. 

Month 5 & 6: Students worked on drawing animal forms, human figures, and portraits, developing a basic knowledge of anatomy while about learning pen and ink drawing. The students drew portraits of one another and will make them into masks.

Month 7 & 8: These sessions will be anintroduction to abstract expressions, focusing on fantasy creation with drawing and colour. Students will create a fantasy story with illustrations, and practice outdoor illustration through rapid sketch and foliage drawing, culminating in a project where kids will draw their favorite flower or bird.

Month 9 & 10: Students will interact with natural elements and transform them into art objects, developing a knowledge of natural colours and prints while working on monoprint techniques without tools. The session will culminate in a project that has students use eco-print with natural objects and colors.

Month 11 & 12: Students will hone into themes of culture, traditions, family roots, languages, foods, fashions, and traditional folk symbols (alpona, folk art motifs, patchitra) through collage making. The final project will be a group activity to create a large scroll painting or wall mural.