Art in Community among the Poor

This painting was done by Silas West who works among the poor in Katmandu Nepal. Here are his reflections...

"This is the first oil painting i ever did. I am kind of fond of it. With all the art i have done in my life, this is my first work with oil as a medium. It is not as easy as i thought it would be.

Although i still am not choosing what i get to work on, i really do enjoy the process of painting in the art campus studio. i find myself reflecting on the lives of those the instructor hires to come in and model for us and praying for them as i paint. They are simple people, very poor. They get paid next to nothing and the other students, usually from affluent backgrounds, don't treat them with any respect--often speaking down to them and making fun of them to other students.
this man is a porter. He gets hired by shops to carry goods people buy to their homes or places of business. its common to see an old man like this carrying a sofa or a refrigerator on his back across town. what i loved about him was his quiet dignity. the way he held his head up and kept his gaze confidently in front of him.

I hope to share more of my work along with thoughts and reflections in the future."