Giving Fear a Face: The Role of Visual Art and Creative Expression in Supporting Children Affected by War

Abstract

Children who have experienced war, forced displacement, and prolonged uncertainty may encounter emotional difficulties that are challenging to recognize and communicate through language alone. This article explores the potential of visual art education as a supportive environment for emotional expression, creative autonomy, and the development of a sense of personal agency. Drawing on the author's educational practice with Ukrainian children affected by war since 2022, it examines how drawing, painting, clay modeling, tactile exploration, and imaginative storytelling can provide alternative ways of approaching complex emotional experiences. Particular attention is given to the symbolic representation of childhood fears and the transformation of frightening images through artistic modification, humor, and narrative development. The discussion also presents the author's educational methodology, its adaptation for the Marmi Art School in Gdańsk, Poland, and the interdisciplinary project Overcome Your Fear, developed in collaboration with a psychologist. The project involves the creation of 24 illustrated associative cards intended to facilitate conversations about childhood fears and emotional states. The article considers the educational and psychological relevance of these practices while distinguishing supportive art education from clinical art therapy. It offers a practice-based reflection on the possibilities of visual communication rather than an empirical assessment of therapeutic effectiveness.