Youth Art Month - Conversation With Sam

March is Youth Art Month and here at Boys & Girls Aid we celebrate the creativity and talent of the youth we serve in our programs. Few weeks ago, we had the chance to have a conversation with Sam about his art and his experience. Sam is 17 and has been at our Neighborhood for one year. The Neighborhood serves youth ages 12–18 who are in Therapeutic Foster Care. These youth have had little stability and have experienced high-levels of trauma, and are in need of support and guidance,

Thank you, Sam, for sharing your talent and thoughts with us.

Why and when did you start drawing and painting? I started painting when I was 13. I was in treatment at the time and they offered basketball or painting. I wasn’t excited about interacting with other youth so I chose painting. Once I got started, I realized it really helped me express myself.

What’s your process like when creating art? I generally go to a less populated area and begin thinking of a relaxing landscape. I paint with acrylic paint. I feel like these are easy to blend for scapes such as horizons and they do not require a lot of water.

Are there any particular places you go for inspiration for your art? Sunsets and landscapes. You can’t really go wrong with a sunset. All sunsets are different. On Monday the sky can be purple and by Friday it is pink. I enjoy showing how the same location can provide so many different views if you just look.

“It’s going to be hard work. We have suffered things you might not be able to imagine. Be patient with us while we learn to trust you. Just let your foster child grow into their own personality. It will take time and a lot of hard work. Support them with love and don’t give up on them. The majority of foster kids are scared that people are going to leave. Have their back and don’t leave them when they need you. Don’t let your foster child feel unwanted.”

— Sam

How does art help you express yourself? Art helps me express my emotions with a twist of beauty to it. It helps me show my true emotions without hurting others or damaging things. So, I may feel like I’m raging inside, but I can calm myself into the canvas. And although you can get a hint of my feelings through the variety of dark and light colors you see, I can control what ultimately is displayed.

Do you have a favorite artist or art genre? My favorite artist is Vincent Van Gogh. Van Gogh had a tough life and suffered a lot, but his art was beautiful and loved by the masses. My favorite genre of art is pop art. An example is some of the artwork by Andy Warhol. It is fun and exciting to look at with a wacky vibe.

What struggles did you face being in foster care? What support did you receive, if any? I struggled with being in a new place and the feeling of not fitting in. Foster kids move between multiple homes and multiple parents. Because of the constant changes I often felt like I didn’t know who I would trust or who was going to be there at the end of the day. How can you tell if someone genuinely cares about you if you know they are being paid to do a job? The main people I’ve been supported by are my foster dads. In the beginning, I knew that even they were being paid to provide care, but as time passed, I realized that they were giving me more attention than an employee gives a job. They text me when I’m stressed. I can cry with them. They are my number one fans when I am reaching my goals and my biggest support when I’m struggling. They aren’t just doing a job. I am a handful and they are going above and beyond to show me that I matter.

How would you change the foster care system if you could? To be honest, I would change the way people recruit foster parents. I feel like parents need to vetted better. Right now, it seems like if they pass a background check and have a safe home, they are approved, but those things don’t prepare them for a kid who is going through real trauma and might act out. DHS needs to make sure foster parents are genuinely dedicated to youth, even at the ugly times."

What have you learned in life that you feel would be most helpful to youth in foster care? Something I’ve learned is that you shouldn’t be embarrassed about your situation. It’s okay to be different and it’s okay not to be like everyone else. Everyone is fighting their own battle whether you see it or not. As a foster child, you have been through a lot. You might have a perspective that could help a kid still living in the kind of traumatic home environment you got out of. Embrace your background and just use it to make life better.

What advice do you have for adults supporting youth in foster care? It’s going to be hard work. We have suffered things you might not be able to imagine. Be patient with us while we learn to trust you. Just let your foster child grow into their own personality. It will take time and a lot of hard work. Support them with love and don’t give up on them. The majority of foster kids are scared that people are going to leave. Have their back and don’t leave them when they need you. Don’t let your foster child feel unwanted.

Is there anything else you would like to share? Boys & Girls Aid provides many different types of programs. At The Neighborhood, I have to come to Anchor Home with at least four other guys each day. Most of the time they drive me nuts. And I used to get so angry that I would break things and curse at staff all the time. But now I am employed, and I realize that at Program, job, school, there are always going to be people you don’t like but need to know how to get along with. The program at Anchor Home has helped me develop this skill and I am actually excited about graduation and starting a life on my own!

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