‘All Alla wants is to see pupils in art classes’

Alla Tkachuk, 40, was born in Russia in the Ural Mountains where art played a big part in education.

“In primary school it was compulsory to attend theatre and when you entered secondary school you joined a semi-professional art school which taught dance, music and art free of charge,” recalls Alla.

According to Alla, art and culture develops and refines one’s thinking and values, making one understand how the world works. “Art develops a child’s thinking, confidence, motivation and identity,” says the mother of one.

The technical science major graduate argues that art should not be taught merely to make artists out of students but it should be used as an educational tool to mold a child to become successful in life.

She started Mobile Art Schools in Kenya (MASK) in 2006 when she came to the country.

“I went to a Maasai settlement on the Tanzania–Kenya border where I did some art,” says Alla.

She painted the Masai warriors morans and the community liked it. When she was about to leave she gave teenagers her brushes as a token of appreciation and challenged them to paint. She was impressed with what they did... she saw there was an interest in art.

In 2007 she traversed Pokot, Turkana and Samburu counties, going around schools asking pupils to paint. The pupils enjoyed the exercise although they wished they would be doing it frequently.

“When I heard students express their desire to paint more often I decided to do something.”

So she quit an active art career and embarked on cultivating art among Kenyan children.

She came back in Kenya in 2008 and started workshops in schools, which involve drawings, paintings and dances.

“Creative arts in Kenya is in the curriculum taking 62 hours per year but it is not taught because it is not examinable,” says Alla.

Another factor stunting art growth in Kenya is the belief professional artists are only nurtured in secondary schools and colleges.

The myth that the art industry is not lucrative compared to other careers is also killing art in Kenya.

She compares Kenya with China who are advanced in art due to many professional art schools than anywhere in the world.

According to Alla, human creativity is the ultimate resource.

“It’s unfortunate that that the poor kids do not have access to art while the best international schools in Kenya have art education.”

So far, Alla has reached 20 schools — five in Naivasha are under the MASK programme. She plans to reach all the 47 counties if she gets funding, which she says has been her biggest challenge.

She depends on funding from her friends in England. Her attempts to convince Kenyan organisations to fund her programme, she bemoans, have been futile.

Despite the challenges her effort has not lacked achievement. In rural Laikipia, a youth by the name Joel, is her happiness. Joel is now an art entrepreneur who is going places, both local and international, showcasing his mural paintings and speaking about the importance of art.                               

Alla has exhibited her work,including paintings of Prince Charles and other influential people, in many countries.