Gallery Slideshow
Paintings & Drawings
BRYCS would like to express our deep appreciation to the dedicated teachers and service
providers who suggested the wonderful artists and art works featured here.
BRYCS is project of United States Conference of Catholic Bishops/Migration and Refugee
Services (USCCB/MRS)
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Mandela Design (Markers on Paper) – Samiro Yussef – Somalia, 10th grade
Jefferson County Public School
My name is Samiro. I am from Somalia and I came to
the United States on October 17, 2006. My father was
a doctor in Somalia, when my sister and I were born. I
do not remember Somalia at all because when I was a
year and a half my family moved to a refugee camp in
Kenya. While we were in Kenya, my little brother and
two sisters were born. I lived in Kenya for fifteen years.
I went to school there up to the ninth grade. Then my
family moved to America. When I first came to America
I was not very happy because there were so many
people I did not know. It was the first time I saw such
large buildings, especially the buildings downtown.
Then I went to school at the ESL Newcomer Academy
and made friends from all different countries. Now I
am happier because I have friends and I am better at
English.
I like art class very much, especially making drawings.
I like to draw household items. One time I drew an
“ashun”, which is something they use to in Somalia to
boil water. I like sharing part of my culture with my
class mates.
I play volleyball at my high school. I started playing
because I learned about volleyball in P.E. class and I
liked it. Now I am making friends on the volleyball
team.
In the future I want to be a general doctor like my
father. I want to learn about treating people. I will
have to go to college. When I go to college, I want to
stay in Louisville because I know people here.
Untitled (Poster Paints) – Nestor Niyitunga – Somalia, 10th grade
Jefferson County Public School
My name is Nestor and I am eighteen
years old. I’m f rom Burundi and I
came to the United States in August
2007. I have been living in Louisville,
Kentucky since I f irst arrived in the
United States.
When I arrived in America, I saw that
it was very dif f erent f rom Burundi.
There were people and cars
everywhere. Everything is so
expensive here! For example, people
live in expensive apartments. In
Burundi, I lived in a small house with
my mom, dad, brothers and sisters.
I like to play soccer with adults. I play
at the Americana Community Center
in Louisville a lot. But I do not play in
winter because it was too cold!
I want to go to college and be a doctor.
I want to be the kind of doctor who
helps people to solve their problems.
For instance someone will come and
talk to me about their problems and I
will help them f eel better.
Tuba (Oil Pastels) – Fred Tassy - Haiti, age 11
Milagro Center
My name is Fred Tassy and I’m eleven years
old. I live with my dad and brother and
sister. My sister is sixteen and my brother
is f ourteen. I was born in Haiti on February
4th 1996. I go to Banyon Creek Elementary
School and I’m in the f if th grade. I love
playing f ootball and reading, especially
books about f ood. My f avorite thing about
the Milagro Center is going to the camp and
I love drawing cars.
Harvest Squash (Oil Pastels) – Fred Tassy - Haiti, age 11
Milagro Center
My name is Fred Tassy and I’m
eleven years old. I live with my
dad and brother and sister. My
sister is sixteen and my brother
is f ourteen. I was born in Haiti
on February 4th 1996. I go to
Banyon Creek Elementary School
and I’m in the f if th grade. I love
playing f ootball and reading,
especially books about f ood. My
f avorite thing about the Milagro
Center is going to the camp and I
love drawing cars.
Leaves (Leaves and Tempura Paint on Canvas) – Debony Rodriguez - Mexico, age 6
Milagro Center
My name is Debony Rodriguez
and I am six years old. I was
born in Mexico on July 17,
2001. I live with my dad,
mom, cousin, and my three-
year old sister. I go to
Orchard View Elementary
School and I’m in the f irst
grade. My f avorite subject is
math. I love to read and my
f avorite story is Cinderella. I
also love to play basketball
and play in the band. My
f avorite thing about art is
painting and coloring and I
love to play outside at the
Milagro Center.
Untitled (Acrylic on Canvas) – Debony Rodriguez - Mexico, age 6
Milagro Center
My name is Debony
Rodriguez and I am six years
old. I was born in Mexico on
July 17, 2001. I live with my
dad, mom, cousin, and my
three-year old sister. I go to
Orchard View Elementary
School and I’m in the f irst
grade. My f avorite subject is
math. I love to read and my
f avorite story is Cinderella. I
also love to play basketball
and play in the band. My
f avorite thing about art is
painting and coloring and I
love to play outside at the
Milagro Center.
Guitar (Oil Pastels) – Jaime Rodrigo Gonzales Garcia - Mexico, age 10
Milagro Center
My name is Jaime Rodrigo
Gonzales Garcia. I was born in
Guanajuato, Mexico on April 30,
2007. I am 10 years old and I
live with my mom, my brother,
who is 8 years old, and my pet
mouse. I go to Orchard View
Elementary and I’m in the 5th
grade. My f avorite subject is
math and my f avorite sport is
soccer. My hobbies are art and
computers and my f avorite
book is Mijos. I love
everything about art and my
f avorite things about the
Milagro Center are Ms. Kate,
Ms. Sarah and all my f riends.
Abstract Design (Oil Pastels) – Jaime Rodrigo Gonzales Garcia - Mexico, age 10
Milagro Center
My name is Jaime Rodrigo
Gonzales Garcia. I was born in
Guanajuato, Mexico on April 30,
2007. I am 10 years old and I
live with my mom, my brother,
who is 8 years old, and my pet
mouse. I go to Orchard View
Elementary and I’m in the 5th
grade. My f avorite subject is
math and my f avorite sport is
soccer. My hobbies are art and
computers and my f avorite
book is Mijos. I love
everything about art and my
f avorite things about the
Milagro Center are Ms. Kate,
Ms. Sarah and all my f riends.
Harvest Squash (Oil Pastels) – Jaime Rodrigo Gonzales Garcia - Mexico, age 10
Milagro Center
My name is Jaime Rodrigo
Gonzales Garcia. I was born in
Guanajuato, Mexico on April 30,
2007. I am 10 years old and I
live with my mom, my brother,
who is 8 years old, and my pet
mouse. I go to Orchard View
Elementary and I’m in the 5th
grade. My f avorite subject is
math and my f avorite sport is
soccer. My hobbies are art and
computers and my f avorite
book is Mijos. I love
everything about art and my
f avorite things about the
Milagro Center are Ms. Kate,
Ms. Sarah and all my f riends.
Untitled (Acrylic on Canvas) – Katia Jean-Louis - Haiti, age 8
Milagro Center
My name is Katia Jean-Louis
and I’m eight years old. I was
born in Haiti on April 23, 1999.
I’m an only child and I live with
my mom. I go to Pine Grove
elementary school and I’m in
3rd grade. My f avorite subject
is Art because it’s f un and
exciting! I also like basketball
and roller skating and I love
books about Junie B. Jones. My
f avorite thing about the Milagro
Center is that we get
Christmas presents.
Muchas Lunas (Acrylic on Canvas) – Ricardo Gonzales - Mexico, age 8
Milagro Center
My name is Ricardo Gonzales and I’m 8
years old. I was born in Mexico on April 26,
1999. I live with my mom and my brother,
who is 10 years old. I go to Orchard View
Elementary School and I’m in the 3rd
grade. My f avorite subject is Math. Also, I
love soccer and reading Spiderman books.
My hobbies include playing games and
painting. The best thing about art is all
the colors! My f avorite thing about the
Milagro Center is music.
Untitled (Acrylic on Canvas) – Ricardo Gonzales - Mexico, age 8
Milagro Center
My name is Ricardo Gonzales and
I’m 8 years old. I was born in
Mexico on April 26, 1999. I live
with my mom and my brother, who
is 10 years old. I go to Orchard
View Elementary School and I’m in
the 3rd grade. My f avorite subject
is Math. Also, I love soccer and
reading Spiderman books. My
hobbies include playing games and
painting. The best thing about art
is all the colors! My f avorite thing
about the Milagro Center is music.
Awer Bul – Sudan, age 24
(http://www.awerbul.net/)
Virginia Commonwealth University
Greetings,
My name is Awer G. Bul, born in 1983 and raised in the bush. I say this because I grew up in the midst of the Sudanese civil
war. I am one of the Lost Boys f rom Sudan and Art saved my lif e. Since we were denied to go to school, I did not know of
any other ways I could tell my story except by using a universal language. I would def ine Art as a universal language of all
the people around the world. I started Art when I was at least six years old, one year bef ore the war came to my village. I
was using the simplest of traditional art materials as I would burn cow dung to produce the color white, and grind charcoal t o
get black. My main canvas was just the mud wall in my house and my f ingers were my paint brushes.
When I was 7 years old I f led by myself ; without my parents, to Uganda and then Kenya where I encountered similar
instability and insecurity as in Sudan. I lived in Kenya f or at least six years eating one meal a day and lacking health car e.
With how much I suf f ered, I did not know if I would survive the war. Growing up in Af rica, I thought America was only f or
rich people and the chances of going there was impossible f or someone who was poor like me. Because of my art skills
though, I was one of the lucky boys who was given a chance that I didn’t think was possible – coming to America. Since I
could not speak English I used my art skills to communicate my story to international aid workers in my ref ugee camp in
Kenya.
They blessed me with the opportunity to come to America because of my drawings, even though I had not previously
qualif ied f or relocation (only ref ugees who had arrived in 1992 were qualif ied f or relocation at the time and I did not arriv e in
the camp until 1994.) With the help and greatness of the United States, I was gracef ully accepted here in my adopted
country. I came to Richmond, VA in December 2000 and shortly thereaf ter started attending J.R. Tucker High School and
working at the local grocery store - Food Lion. I am now a sophomore at Virginia Commonwealth University and a f ull-time
Art student majoring in painting and printmaking with plans to double major in kinetic imaging.
It is very important that people know that I believe helping others is a natural extension of myself like my Art. I am alway s
working to improve myself , and through my Art I have been able to deal with traumas f rom the atrocities of war, separation
f rom my f amily, the loss of my home and homeland, and the poor conditions of ref ugee camp lif e. When I do art I f eel like I
have let out all things that are in me. Art is a way f or me to respond and to give.
Regards,
Awer G. Bul
2006
Cattle (Oil on Canvas) – Awer Bul – Sudan, age 24
Virginia Commonwealth University
Awer Bul, is a young Sudanese artist currently completing a Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts and Communication at Virginia
C ommonwealth University, Richmond, VA. His Web site displays his paintings, photographs, and a short documentary titled “Livi ng
in Exile,” which the artist states “deals with transformation, not only in mind and body, but also in location and spirit.” His web site,
showing more of his fine work, is http://www.awerbul.net/.
Life of Refugee (Oil on Canvas) – Awer Bul – Sudan, age 24
Virginia Commonwealth University
Awer Bul, is a young Sudanese artist currently completing a Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts and Communication at Virginia
C ommonwealth University, Richmond, VA. His Web site displays his paintings, photographs, and a short documentary titled “Livi ng
in Exile,” which the artist states “deals with transformation, not only in mind and body, but also in location and spirit.” His web site,
showing more of his fine work, is http://www.awerbul.net/.
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