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Reginald Chirenje Youth Interactive Writer
Art and craft are an integral part of culture for any society. It is important especially for children and has a special significance in parenting.
Craft art helps to develop appreciation of visual aesthetics and function as building blocks for the development of children.
It also nurtures creativity and spurs innovative abilities in children. Craftwork inspires them to think outside the box and seek out new ways of achieving their goals instead of following directions.
Hence it develops critical thinking and problem solving skills in children and it helps them to identify, interpret and implement visual information.
The Herald on Saturday Lifestyle, Youth Interaction caught up with Nyasha Marakuenda, a young lady aged 20, who is talented in craft art, particularly jewellery beads.
Nyasha who hails from Domboshava is doing wonders with beads through her catchy designs.
For her, craft art never started as a dream but rather a hobby which she later took seriously.
” I started crafting jewellery and accessories in the year 2020. I was born passionate about art in general.
“At one point I purchased a zulu neckpiece and I felt challenged with the creativity and it pushed me to buy beads so as to start my own art and designs, that’s where my journey started”, Nyasha Marakuenda said.
” For me, designs naturally come from my drawing patterns”, she added.
Craft art refers to assembling handmade goods. It has been around for centuries and it typically involves making items that are not only attractive but rather useful as well in a society.
In many instances, crafts are generally made from natural raw materials.
Nyasha produces a wide range of stylist and catchy accessories which include, zulu necklaces, chockers, bracelets, handbags, waistbands, rings, make up boxes among others.
Even though she has faced financial constraints and market challenges, Nyasha has never given up on her crafting talent.
Craft art offers a lot of benefits to individuals.
It appreciates arts and culture, enhances expression, memory, visual learning, creativity, it boosts confidence among artists, sharpens skills and decision making.
“Through craft art, children learn to value and appreciate artifacts, images across cultures and times.
“Experience in design, art and crafts enables them to reflect critically on their own work and those by others. Children learn to act and think like designers and artists working intelligently and creatively.
” They will also learn about the preservation of heritage through craft art.
“A lot of information we have now about our ancestors who lived millions of years ago came solely through beads” Marakuenda, she said.
Nyasha’s future goal is to open arts and craft schools as a way of empowering young girls and women to gain skills and opportunities for themselves in the arts industry.
Arts and crafts as a subject in the school curriculum is typically taken for granted by many. But if it’s taken seriously, parents will invest cognitive, physical and social developments in their children.
Online Reporter