The Memory Project
Recently, eight students from Mrs. Davis’s art
classes participated in a special project called the Memory Project. Students created portraits for girls ages
17-19 who live in India. These girls
have either been neglected, orphaned, or disadvantaged and have few keepsakes
to call their own. The completed
portraits have been sent to the Memory Project coordinator in Wisconsin and will
be hand delivered to the girls in India.
Pictures of the deliveries will follow!
Memory Project Participants:
Kendall Carmody: Portrait
created for Kanchan
Danalice Lopes: Portrait created for Swati
Jill Larsen: Portrait created for Sneha
Ricky Whiting: Portrait created for Prerna
Joe Zinkus: Portrait created for Sunita
Spencer Gamble: Portrait created for Roshni
Jill Larsen and Cameron Hill: Portrait created for Manisha
Mckel Maxwell: Portrait created for Harmeen
More about the Memory Project:
“The Memory Project is a unique initiative in which art students
create portraits for children and teens around the world who have been
neglected, orphaned, or disadvantaged. Given that kids in such situations tend
to have few personal keepsakes, we're aiming to provide them with special
memories that capture a piece of their childhood - portable pieces of their
personal history. As much as possible, we also want to help the kids see
themselves as works of art.
To do this, art students receive photos of kids on our waiting list and then work in any medium to create the portraits (drawing, painting, digital art, collage, etc). Next, we deliver the portraits to the kids as gifts. We also take photos of the kids holding the portraits so the art students can see the delivery in action.
To do this, art students receive photos of kids on our waiting list and then work in any medium to create the portraits (drawing, painting, digital art, collage, etc). Next, we deliver the portraits to the kids as gifts. We also take photos of the kids holding the portraits so the art students can see the delivery in action.
The Memory Project was developed by Ben Schumaker as a graduate
student of social work at the University of Wisconsin.
In 2003, while volunteering at an orphanage in Guatemala, Ben learned that the kids had few special belongings to represent moments of their childhood. They had very few photos, for example, to serve as memories from their early years. Since Ben had always enjoyed making portraits in school art classes, he had the idea to get art students involved in creating portraits for the kids. The Memory Project was officially born in 2004 and Ben still coordinates it full-time today. To date the project has created nearly 50,000 portraits for kids in 34 countries, and we intend to keep going as long as possible.
In 2003, while volunteering at an orphanage in Guatemala, Ben learned that the kids had few special belongings to represent moments of their childhood. They had very few photos, for example, to serve as memories from their early years. Since Ben had always enjoyed making portraits in school art classes, he had the idea to get art students involved in creating portraits for the kids. The Memory Project was officially born in 2004 and Ben still coordinates it full-time today. To date the project has created nearly 50,000 portraits for kids in 34 countries, and we intend to keep going as long as possible.
We aim to create portraits for children anywhere in the world
who have faced substantial hardship and have few personal keepsakes to call
their own. The kids who receive our portraits range in age from 0 – 18 years,
and every one has a different story.
Many of the children receiving our portraits live in residential children’s homes (a.k.a. “orphanages”), but that doesn’t mean they are literally “orphans.” In fact, most children living in orphanages around the world are not there because both of their parents are deceased. Some have lost one or both parents, but many are there for reasons of abuse, neglect, or simply because one or both parents are living in extreme poverty and not able to adequately feed and care for them.
Considering that every child’s background is unique, we don’t follow specific rules about which kids we involve and which we don’t. Rather, we work with many different nonprofit organizations to create portraits for the children they serve.”
Many of the children receiving our portraits live in residential children’s homes (a.k.a. “orphanages”), but that doesn’t mean they are literally “orphans.” In fact, most children living in orphanages around the world are not there because both of their parents are deceased. Some have lost one or both parents, but many are there for reasons of abuse, neglect, or simply because one or both parents are living in extreme poverty and not able to adequately feed and care for them.
Considering that every child’s background is unique, we don’t follow specific rules about which kids we involve and which we don’t. Rather, we work with many different nonprofit organizations to create portraits for the children they serve.”
Source: (www.memoryproject.org)
