Brush Fire Painting Workshops » paintings

Summer Paintings in the Hall

Naomi Rifkin — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 16:04:12 +0000

These paintings are from the summer Brush Fire workshops at the Youth Guidance Center. As always, the girls inspire with their courage and honesty. Please let us know how you feel when you look at the paintings.

I am trying not to be afraid of people and try to let people love me & not let them go away. I wanna start something new in my life. I don’t want to look back at my past because it hurts me so much. ~ Diana

A time I had a strong feeling is when I was really young, at the age of, say, about three because my mother abandoned my sister and brothers. As soon as I was three she wanted us back in her life, but they’ve been divorced since I was a newborn. ~ Amanda

This painting is about the worst day of my life – when I got locked up this time. I felt sad, mad, and disappointed because I left my loved ones alone out there and I let my mom down. It reflects how I feel – gloomy. It feels like a separation. ~ Alexandria

The worst day in my life was probably when my dad died. Even though he wasn’t my biological daddy, he was my world. I feel abandoned. Who was gonna save me from my mom? I was so alone! Why would he leave me?!?! Look at what all happened after. I have no one to turn to…That’s why I am so independent and not trusting. ~ Tia

I just can't trust nobody. I can't love nobody because I feel like they are gonna let me down. This painting shows how afraid of people I am. No matter how I try to hide, they are always there. ~ Diana

The person I admire the most is my mom because through everything I put her through, she still stands by my side and never leaves me when I need somebody the most. This thing I hope to learn from her is the courage and patience it takes to raise my child when I have one. ~ Alexandria

What Kindness Looks Like

Naomi Rifkin — Thu, 20 May 2010 00:33:42 +0000

We are wrapping up another amazing school year – I can hardly believe it is almost over! I have a stack of paintings in my office that are testament to the vast and inspiring creativity of the young painters we are fortunate to work with. Here is a sampling of the paintings done in out last class at Malcolm X Academy by some truly outstanding first graders. The topic was Kindness.

This is me giving a flower to a girl in my class ~ Markey

Ava was crying so I put my arm around her to make her feel better ~ Thana

I got my neighbor's newspaper for him. I knocked on the door and gave it to him so he didn't have to go out and get it ~ Isenhower

The nice thing that happen to me was Isenhower did my homework ~ Lamont

More Paintings from the Hall

Naomi Rifkin — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 04:29:19 +0000

We just posted the latest round of paintings from our program at the Youth Services Center in San Mateo on our Facebook page. If you have not seen them, please check them out. Just go to Facebook and search for Brush Fire Painting Workshops. While you are there, become a fan to get regular updates.

In the mean time, here are a few more paintings from our girls in the hall.

Who do I have to forgive? Myself. Because if I don’t forgive myself I won’t be internally happy with me. If I just walk around angry, I won’t truly get the aspects of life. If I don’t forgive myself for the times I’ve done unlawful things, I won’t believe. For I see forgiveness is the key to my heart. ~ Jazmine

This painting is about what I have to put down or pick up to have my ideal life. The fireworks are how I feel on drugs. This is what distracts me from my ideal life. If I continue to stay on drugs, I will hit rock bottom. The sparkle dots show my confusion. ~ Megan

I am thinking about giving up on life. How do I let go of pain? I’m thinking about my boyfriend – I am really in love – and getting out and being free. My best friend, why did he kill himself? Is all of this happening for a reason? ~ Miriam