Painting Smiles

Paola Colom is a young artist in Guatemala City who decided to donate her time and talent at El Faro during her two-week break from University. Paola has a heart to teach disadvantaged children the art of painting and had taught in Guatemala City with other friends from school. When she knew she had an upcoming break, she knew she wanted to work with the children in the villages around El Faro. Zita Vasquez, one of the coordinators of the art program, traveled to the school to find the most promising art students through a “painting exam”. Through many donations from El Faro supporters,  all of the supplies was able to be purchased and thirty kids were enrolled in the class.

On the first day the students arrived very shy without talking much and with insecurities. However, as time progressed, Paola got to know each one and they began to open up artistically. “In the beginning the students were not convinced that they qualified to be there, but after three days they began to realize that they did have talent. Each student was able to reflect pieces of their personality in each art work they created”, Paola says.

Paola first taught about primary and secondary colors. She only brought paint in red, yellow, blue, and white and the idea was for the kids to learn how to mix colors to be able to create their own paint pallet. Other classes included using different textures of paper and pencil exercises. Towards the end of the two weeks the students were ready for their final project where they got to choose between three sceneries for the older kids and animals for the younger ones to paint. They diligently worked on their pieces and on the final day their class was converted into an “art gallery” where friends and family members came to see the art work on display and write down positive commentary. Paola says, “I was surprised at how well the students painted on their final piece because this was the first time they had ever used acrylic paints.”

“This experience was much more than I expected. Each kid arrived on time and some even walked an hour to get to classes. This experience was one that I would like to continue to live.”

[srizonfbalbum id=1]