South’s Art Club Draws on Kindness

By Caroline Hong

This year, South’s Art Club is participating in The Memory Project whose goal to provide underprivileged children with self-portraits created by art students. Being the first year that the Art Club is taking part in such a project, students are excited about the experience.
Recently, the Art Club received pictures of children from the Philippines, still in recovery from the typhoon, who requested their portraits be drawn.  After the portraits are completed, the drawings will be sent back to the children and, to show their appreciation, the children will take a picture with their piece of work and send it to the artists.
“In previous years, the club has been more focused on painting murals around the school,” explained junior Alex Lim, co-president of the Art Club. “This project is much simpler, and it carries a greater significance.”
Art teacher Ms. Katie Saltoun, the adviser of the Art Club, believes that although this project is more extensive than other projects the club has participated in, the end result will be rewarding when the students get to see photographs of their artwork with the children.
Helena W. junior and co-president of Art Club, commented that she is thankful to Mrs. Saltoun for recommending the project.  “We are not only helping the children smile, but also allowing ourselves to feel a sense of accomplishment through what we love to do,” Wang said.
Lim is very excited that he is able to work with the Memory Project and give back to children in the Philippines, while giving “meaning to art.” “While art is a form of self-expression, it has the potential to be much more than that,” he said.
Lim believes The Memory Project allows students to give back to the global community and make a difference in children’s lives. “What we may perceive to be a small undertaking, [the children] may perceive to be a treasure and a lasting memory,” he said.
All students, not just those in the Art Club, are welcome to participate. “It’s a nice way to reach out to other kids in the school who want to get involved as well,” Ms. Saltoun said.
The Art Club has a goal of finishing their drawings by March, allowing time for the children to receive their drawings before the end of the school year.
Although this project is in the beginning stages, Ms. Saltoun hopes that it will be successful and that South will continue participating in the Memory Project in the future.  “The students are doing such a great thing,” she said.