In August we challenged the kids to create a self-portrait. The kids had 1 hour to work on their project. Needless to say this was a new concept for the kids, and we think they did an extraordinary job! With a little over 1,000 votes the winners were announced,
And the self-portrait winners are…
1st Place – Jangum
2nd Place – Nan
3rd Place – Attitaya
Have you ever done a self-portrait? Wikipedia describes a self-portrait as “a representation of an artist that is drawn, painted, photographed, or sculpted by that artist”. This may have been one of the most fun contests we have had. It was such a delight seeing how the kids perceived themselves!
If you gave me a piece of paper, and crayons, or pencils, or markers, and told me I had one hour to create a self-portrait, I can almost guarantee it would end up a stick figure that did not have any resemblance to me at all!
When we first thought about using self-portrait as a contest category, we were not sure the kids would “get it”. You need to keep in mind these kids come from very poor and difficult backgrounds, mostly living in isolated villages in the mountains, further removed from social interactions by their lack of communication, all they knew was their tribal language, they did not speak or understand the Thai language of the communities in the valleys below them.
Since coming to live at Warm Heart, and having the chance to attend school and get an education, these kids have all grasped the opportunity with both hands. They have learned Thai, and are working on their English as well. They work hard at school, and continue to work hard once they get home with special tutoring and classes to help them get caught up. Our Art Contests are a way to help them add a little variety and fun to their lives.
These kids and their achievements are a real inspiration!
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