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In school, we don’t have art class anymore because there’s no money for it. Instead, we do small projects once in a while like drawing with crayons. I don’t like these projects because the crayons are always old and broken. The weekly art classes at ICNA Relief have made me really like art, though. Today, we painted a UFO in space which was really fun because I love aliens! I feel like I can be so creative in the All for Art classes while also relaxing. I hope Hafsah keeps on teaching the classes for a while.
-Fatima, the daughter of a refugee
Finding Home: A Picture Book Made from Refugee Women’s Paintings
This picture book features paintings made by the women at Bethany House in many of its illustrations. For example, the cover art was painted by one of the women in our classes. I simply added the characters and other props/details on top of these backgrounds to create a cohesive storyline. In many ways, this book is theirs. I put together Finding Home to showcase the amazing work of these women. I’ve taught art classes at senior living homes, mental health centers, and so many other places. Still, nowhere else have I seen the same degree of passion and enjoyment of art that the Bethany House residents exhibit. There’s never a canvas that stays blank in the house for long or an art class where the women aren’t eagerly espousing ideas for what we should paint next as soon as we finish the current painting project. And their love for art shows—every single painting any one of them makes turns out beautiful everytime without fail. All proceeds made from the sale of this book will be given back to Bethany House and the women there.