Abstract Portraits

In this summer session with New American Pathways,  The Creatives Project (TCP) artist Maria Korol led youth in creating abstract portraits on wood panels.  They turned out beautifully and the students were so proud of their work! Individually, the pieces are special and unique, but when displayed together, they showcase the incredible diversity of the Clarkson community. 

This was such a great project for this demographic because art strengthens communication and transcends language: It lets kids who may feel shy about their language skills or grasp of English, share their story and express themselves. We create to make sense of the world around us, and art helps give youth a voice even if they have trouble communicating verbally because of language barriers or because experiencing trauma sometimes inhibits typical verbal skills. 

New American Pathways is a refugee resettlement organization providing refugees and immigrants services from arrival in the country through 5 years or permanent citizenship.  They offer a continuum of services to their clients in order to best serve them along the cultural adjustment journey in the United States. In addition to resettlement, employment, immigration, and school services, they offer after school services and summer programs for elementary, middle and high school students.  Refugee youth face specific challenges to success including education gaps, low-performing public schools and limited supplemental academic support. In addition, grade level placements for newly arriving refugee children frequently are based on age, rather than academic skills, leaving older youth a short window of opportunity to obtain literacy and core skills before graduating from high school. As a result, New American Pathways has created Pathways to Bright Futures, a school-based afterschool and summer enrichment program with school liaison services, for approximately 180 refugee students. 

Paint Love has been a partner with this program since 2017. Projects allow participants to strengthen communication skills as art transcends language. They are able to share their stories and express themselves, have a voice and make sense of the world around them.