Ep. 182: Teaching Art Across the Globe with Artist and Author John Platt
On this episode of Health Gig, we speak with John Platt, an artist and author who has spent years teaching art to kids in Africa. Platt goes into depth about his artistic upbringing and what led him to founding How to Draw a Lion, his organization that focuses on both conservation and child wellness.
More on John Platt:
Website: https://www.drawalion.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/howtodrawalion
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/howtodrawalion/
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Quotes:
“I think that as an artist, you're constantly looking, constantly mining different sources for inspiration. And that's a lifelong process.” John Platt
“There's so much natural talent all over the world, and it's just a question of access to resources and guidance and to actually have a class.” John Platt
“Part of the process of the artwork in the class is that we also have conversations about the importance of wildlife and the importance of their indigenous wildlife … that this is their home.” John Platt
Show Notes:
John Platt: I grew up in New York City, so it was pretty easy to become an artist because early trips to the Museum of Modern Art were sort of all it takes.
John Platt: So that was the one I remember looking up at as a very young kid, thinking, “This is what I want to do.”
John Platt: I think that as an artist, you're constantly looking, you're constantly mining different sources for inspiration. And that's a lifelong process.
John Platt: I went to art school in Boston at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, which was also a wonderful program because you had access to the museum's collection.
John Platt: It was this incredible segway from art school and this dear friendship to this wedding, to Africa.
John Platt: So there was already kind of this connection and I had a good feeling that he would be game for this and he was very interested in charitable causes and in giving back.
John Platt: By the summer of 2014, I was in Tanzania doing it and it was supposed to be a one off.
John Platt: So I did Tanzania one year and then I decided, you know what, I'm just going to do this every year.
John Platt: Yeah, I'm just the white guy who shows up every year like Santa Claus.
John Platt: There's a whole network of wonderful community-based organizations on the ground that I work with.
John Platt: It's just cocktail party after cocktail party. So that's my lesson to kids. Just attend as many people as possible.
John Platt: I certainly feel like a father to a lot of these kids, or at least a fun uncle.
John Platt: We also have conversations about the importance of wildlife and the importance of their indigenous wildlife, that this is their home.
John Platt: There's a place I go to called the Marula Lodge and the elephants, I swear to God, the elephants walk into the dining room and go to the bar.
John Platt: So protecting the wildlife is really, really important and you need to start teaching those lessons to kids.
John Platt: One thing I'm really excited about is getting back to work in New York City now that things are lifting because of COVID.
John Platt: I pitched her the idea “What if we did a children's book about animals that was illustrated with the kids' paintings?” She loved the idea.
John Platt: The real goal is sustainability. You have to be if you're working in Africa, you need to be setting those communities up for success even after you leave.
Keywords:
TriciaReillyKoch, DoroBushKoch, HealthGig, Longevity, Wellness, Joy, MentalHealth, Health, Art, Artist, JohnPlatt, Africa