Since civil war broke out in Syria in March 2011, millions of its residents have fled to seek refuge in neighboring countries like Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon. As fights between rebel factions and ruling regime forces soon plunged the Middle East country into one of the deadliest conflicts in modern history, the number of the refugees has dramatically rose to nearly five million, according to the latest United Nations data.
Some made dangerous journeys by land and sea to European Union countries, where their presence triggered political, economical, and social backlash. Some journeyed further to other countries like Canada, United States, and Latin American countries. Some never made it.
Responding to their plight, members of National Art Honor Society decided to contribute their artistic skills. Since 2011, the students have been working alongside a charitable nonprofit organization called the Memory Project, which invites art teachers and students from all over the country to draw portraits of children suffering from war, neglect, abuse and poverty. The nonprofit was founded by Ben Schumaker, an art teacher, and is based in Middleton, WI.
Art teacher Careth Flash oversees this project alongside her colleague Sarah Osborne.
“Portraits are made for the orphans, in order for them to have something of personal keepsake since they don’t have ability to have personal possession,” Flash said.
In the past, they have been doing similar projects for orphanages around the world like Nepal, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic. But this year, rather than orphanages, it is the Syrian refugee camps that would be sent with these portraits.
“This year is going to be a little more difficult,” Flash said.
Participants are required to contribute $15 for every portrait sent to the project, in order to cover costs of delivery to targeted groups overseas. The project, however, did not require any minimum contribution, so participating schools could easily determine how many portraits they are going to commit.
“One year we had a big number who are willing and able to do this, so we had like 15 portraits. Last year we had eight,” Flash said.
Funding is plenty for these young artists. For this year’s participation, a major fundraiser will be held to cover the fees, as well as another one planned in December as Winter Artist Market.
“For people who like to buy and gift (artworks), that’s a great time for them to do that.
And that’s a great fundraiser for us, too,” Flash said.
Junior Sophia Sample joined the project last year.
“We all got one picture (of the refugee children) each to draw. Everybody got their own portrait and draw it,” Sample said.
The project allows its contributors to create their artwork in any medium, but accepted works are mostly drawings or paintings.
“Some are painting, some are using pencils, some with color pencils,” Flash added.
Their motivation behind this project is primarily for artistic pleasure, as well as humanitarian sense.
“Every year I ask students what they want to do. The people who have experienced it say that they had a great deal of satisfaction and pleasure,” Flash said.
Sample enjoyed doing this project last year and looks forward to doing it again this year because she feels it is for a great cause.
“They feel that they’re bringing joy in a very simple way,” Sample said. “It’s really worth it."
And the public reaction has been quite welcoming for them.
“Sometimes we are able to display it (the portraits) before we send it. Reaction from parents, friends, and members of the community is, ‘whoa’,” Flash said.
“Most people didn’t know that this project existed, and they’re interested and intrigued with the whole concept,” Flash said.
An edited version of this story appeared in the 18 November 2016 edition of LN North Star, the student newspaper of Lawrence North High School, Indianapolis.
No comments:
Post a Comment