thegiraffeshop.com

 

thegiraffeshop.com was conceived as an entrepreneurial project run for children, and by children, after a particularly inspiring service in church one Sunday morning.

Unlike current on-line galleries that seek to sell the art-pieces produced by children for specific causes and ideals, thegiraffeshop.com aims to allow children between the ages of 3 and 12 to develop and showcase artistic talent and effort, as well as learn about the joys and frustrations behind running their own little cottage "business" on a regular basis.

It will also provide a platform in which special children with savant skills may develop the confidence and motivation to express their artistic gifts in more fruitful and constructive ways.

The commercial structure for the on-line gallery is a simple one:

Beginning with the art-pieces produced by the author’s two children in July 2005, thegiraffeshop.com will accept a small handful of child-artists under its fold twice a year, and then select a range of their art-work for "sale" over the Internet.

Buyers from around the world will be able to access the gallery and place an order for any of the pieces of art, which will then be framed, or reproduced on cards, before being picked up (for local buyers) or mailed/shipped (to international buyers).

After deducting costs, the children will be "paid" for the work that they have "sold", and parents whose children have been chosen as the gallery’s in-house artists will be asked to make a commitment to teach their children how to open and operate a savings (bank) account in the process.

Of course, it is not likely that all of the pieces of art displayed in/on the gallery will be sold, so it is hoped that the child-artists who have to face this kind of an outcome and reality eventually will also learn lessons of perseverance and perception (especially as it relates to Emotional Intelligence and a Theory of Mind) of what makes a piece of work acceptable, attractive and aesthetic to others.

We would like to emphasize that thegiraffeshop.com is both an educational and entrepreneurial project, and that the child-artists who join the gallery will be fully briefed at every stage of their involvement in the endeavour. The children (and their parents) will be asked to sign Memorandums of Consent and Understanding, and they will also be allowed to determine and state "how much" they believe their art-piece is worth, before it is displayed.

If you would like more information about how you can nominate a child as an artist in thegiraffeshop.com, or if you would like to place an order for any of the art-pieces displayed below, please email Mrs Denise Lai at weecare@singnet.com.sg, or call Wee Care at +65-6836-1450.
Thank You for your Support!

"firecracker germ" (2007) A3, poster paint and ink Tamara Lai, aged 6.5 years		"flying germ" (2007) A3, poster paint and ink Faith Lai, aged 10.5 years
"happy valley blue bird" (2006) A4, coloured pen/ink Tamara Lai, aged 6 years		"house in the mountains" (2006) A4, coloured pen/ink Tamara Lai, aged 6 years
"tree" (2007) A3, poster paint Tamara Lai, aged 6.5 years		"house in the mountains too" (2006) A4, coloured pen/ink Tamara Lai, aged 6 years
"bird over a hill" (2006) A3, poster paint Tamara Lai, aged 6 years		"bird over a house" (2006) A3, poster paint Tamara Lai, aged 6 years
"splotches" (2007) A3, poster paint Faith Lai, aged 10.5 years		"triangles" (2007) A3, wax crayon Faith Lai & Lai Yi Han, aged 10.5 years