From an orphanage schoolhouse to how art brings life to communities, inspiring wonder and pride
Art lovers, artists, community development advocates, and anyone interested in the profound influence of simple creative acts will enjoy this heartwarming story about how art can rejuvenate spaces and spirits. This story is illustrated through a transformative project at a Peruvian orphanage where art was used to renew hope and a TED talk.
Art possesses the incredible power to transform spaces, lives, and communities. This truth became vividly clear to me during a missionary trip to Peru, where I was part of a project that built structures and renewed hope and pride among its youngest inhabitants.
Our Mission
Our mission was ambitious yet heartfelt—we aimed to construct a schoolhouse at an orphanage for children with physical disabilities. The children, many of whom had survived polio, displayed inspiring resilience and joy. Even though many of them were missing limbs, they displayed a surprising prowess in soccer, challenging and delighting us visitors from the United States as they were better than any of us college-aged players!
The Power of a Paintbrush
During the trip, we undertook a side project in a local school in a barriada in Peru—similar to a favela in Brazil. Here, our group transformed a mundane basketball court wall into a vibrant canvas of brightly colored geometric shapes. On the side of a building, we painted a gorgeous mural of monarch butterflies. Completed with relentless energy and shared passion, this artwork brought a new spirit to the school.
A few days later, the school's principal shared a moving story at one of our dinners. She spoke of the school’s troubled past, marked by incidents of sexual abuse, and how the community was healing. As she described how the murals had brought wonder, pride, and a new sense of life to the school, many of us were moved to tears. The profound impact of our simple artistic contributions touched every heart in the room, reaffirming my belief in the transformative power of art.
Inspiration from a TED Talk
This experience was vividly brought to life again recently while watching a TED talk. The artists Jeroen Koolhaas and Dre Urhahn shared their work in the favelas of Brazil and neighborhoods in North Philadelphia. Their large-scale community painting projects are incredible on multiple levels—neighborhood-transforming mural art and bringing people together, to name a couple. You can see the talk “How Painting Can Transform Communities” using the link in the references section of this post. The talk and their work underscored what I had witnessed firsthand: art has the power to transform communities profoundly.
Angelenos, Let's Cherish and Spread the Transformative Power of Art Together!
If you are in Los Angeles, I invite you to join the Art Beauty Love LA Meetup. Our events blend art with beauty and wellness, offering a supportive community where you can explore skincare, health, and the art of aging gracefully. We encourage creativity, open-mindedness, and sharing beauty tips in a loving, inclusive environment.
Join the Art Beauty Love LA Meetup here
https://www.meetup.com/artbeautylove/
Wherever you are, we invite you to share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below—how has art touched your life or community?
Resources
TED Talk: How Painting Can Transform Communities
