With the help of nearly 30 artists from Los Altos High School’s National Art Honor Society (NAHS), underprivileged kids worldwide enduring harsh times can feel a little special. NAHS has participated in the Memory Project — a youth arts organization that promotes global intercultural understanding — since NAHS club adviser Christine An introduced the project to NAHS club members in 2019.
“My hope is that when these kids see my portrait for them, they will feel seen, and maybe their day is just a little brighter because of it,” NAHS head of activities committee senior Nicole Park said.
Every semester, NAHS draws portraits for a select country — this year’s was India. When paper and printed versions of portraits are shipped by Memory Project volunteers, artists get to see kids receive the portraits via a short video.
“I remember they went, ‘Oh my gosh!’” Iris said. “They were so happy and were jumping around. In Ukraine, everybody rushed over the person who had the box of portraits that were passed out. It was so sweet.”
“The girl’s face lit up when she received the portrait,” Nicole said. “And that really inspires me to work harder on my next project.”
NAHS artists are told characteristics of the kids they are painting, and use this information throughout their portraits.
“This girl likes purple and playing with stuffed animals, and that’s why I drew her a little purple bear here,” NAHS artist senior Iris Wu said. “This boy said he wants to be a musician when he grows up, so I added these chords in the background.”
“Her favorite color is red, and she was described as being honest and brave, so that looks like a punchy design to me,” NAHS Co-President senior Erica Tirva said. “I did a red background, and then I added orange stars because it’s a personal favorite of mine, which created that sense of whimsy I was going for.”
Children receiving these portraits are socioeconomically unprivileged — oftentimes orphans, children in refugee camps, and displaced refugees. In the 2022-2023 school year — the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine — LAHS Memory Project participants drew for kids in Ukraine.
“A lot of these kids in shelters had lost their homes and didn’t have any photographs, portraits, or any of that left,” NAHS Co-President senior Sarah Ang said. “The memory project was a good thing to do for them in the midst of everything they’ve experienced.”
Artists leave a note, photo of themselves, their handprint on the back of the portrait, a heartfelt way for kids to connect with the artists.
“I think regardless of what the note says, just having the handprint and the kids being able to hold their hands to our handprints is a big thing for us,” Nicole said.
“I think it’s a wonderful opportunity to make art and give it away as a source of happiness for kids in need,” Iris said.
