The Memory Project is all about helping people who have been dealt a less than fortunate hand in life. Their slogan makes the project’s purpose evident: “creating a kinder world through art.” Children from impoverished countries around the world submit photographs of themselves, and American art students then replicate the portraits in whatever medium they choose. 

Upper School art teacher Mrs. Hunter has been bringing the memory project to RMA for about 6 years. Last year, students in Art II-IV who decided to participate were given a portrait of an orphaned child from India. I got to work on this project alongside Ann Cleveland Fisher (11th), Sarah Habib (12th), Elizabeth Paszek (11th), and Julie Ariza (12th). Around March, I received a photograph of a girl not much younger than me, along with information about her favorite color, hobbies, etc. I decided to re-create the photograph as a black and white sketch, but others chose acrylic or watercolor–whatever medium they felt most confident with. 

Using my ability as a gift was rewarding on its own, but all of us who worked on these portraits last year were forwarded a video with all of the children receiving their artwork. (The video is linked here if you would like to take a look!) Their reactions were so heart-warming!

My personal experience with this project gave me a great deal of gratitude for the many portraits my parents have had done of me and my siblings. I have always looked at them as being “over the top” and was almost embarrassed of them. But the idea that these children had never seen artwork of themselves–and I was the first one to draw the girl I was given a picture of–motivated me to use the absolute best of my abilities. 

I advocate this project as being a very rewarding, eye-opening experience for anyone who would like to participate as an artist or as a sponsor. For more information or to donate to the Memory Project, visit the Memory Project Website.