Painter takes time out for Boys & Girls Club

Yolanda Begum could paint forever or at least until she drops from exhaustion. She carves out eight hours of every day just so she can paint.

She gets so enthused about her passion that she never wanted to commit to anything that might cut into her time with the brush.

That changed a few months ago when a friend asked her to volunteer at the Boys & Girls Club in Cameron Park. At first reluctant, Begum decided that perhaps it was her time to give something back.

For the next 10 weeks Begum, a Brownsville resident of 33 years, fell in love with art all over again.

“I never wanted to teach because I thought I would have to sacrifice my art,” she said. “But I loved it. Gradually I started staying longer until they made us leave.”

Begum was born in Matamoros, grew up in Laredo and studied art in Monterrey and San Antonio. She works from a studio in her home, mainly on wood, but the studio, if it can be called that, in the Cameron Park Center is sorely lacking in materials.

There were few materials, especially in the beginning, so Begum began teaching art they way she had been taught. By teaching the masters.

There was the class on expressionists. A class on impressionists and a class on abstract painting.

Once her students had a handle on theory she had them put paint to paper, since they had no money for canvas.

“I saw this transformation,” she said, bursting with pride. “When we started they didn’t know anything, but by the time we started painting they we’re saying ‘I want to paint an abstract’ or ‘I want to paint a Van Gogh,’ concepts and people I taught them.”

At the conclusion of the 10-week session, Begum and her class threw a party. There was dancing, singing and an art show, featuring student work, which had been painted on wood Begum provided them.

Parents, friends and even a few city officials turned out for the event. And, of course, the paintings were a hit, Begum said.

Five of the paintings were purchased for $100 a piece.

“It made the children feel great that somebody wanted to buy what they had created,” she said. “It was also a great boost to their self-esteem.”

When she originally agreed to volunteer it was a commitment to last throughout the summer. Now, Begum has accepted an offer to teach twice a week.

It’s a commitment of around 20 hours a week, which shouldn’t shave too much off of her work schedule.

“It has been a tremendously rewarding experience,” she said. “The kids are so loving and eager to learn. I love it.”