December 2020 Portrait of the Month — Stephania Podgorska

Stephania Podgorska

December's Portrait of the Month was created at a workshop we held in partnership with the Holocaust Museum LA. A class of sixth graders from Cesar Chavez Elementary School attended a three-day virtual program at the museum. They learned about the history of the Holocaust from a docent, heard testimony directly from a child survivor named Yona Kunstler Nadelman, and then participated in a Memory Project Productions art workshop. This powerful program integrated personal story, history and creative reflection.The students posed very thoughtful questions, mostly focused on how one goes on in the face of hardship. We recognize the hardships faced by the students this year with the changes to their home lives and in their schooling. It was inspiring to see their engagement, their curiosity and understanding of the difficult subject matter. Along with their dedicated teacher, they are carrying on despite the challenges of these times.

Danna, the artist who created this beautiful portrait reflected on her experience:

"Observing a photograph and making art based on it was fun because I was looking at the person and trying to figure out her story."