By Nikhita Chatterjee, Grade 10
For her masterclass titled “Papercut Portraits”, author-illustrator Thao Lam was greeted by a room packed with enthusiastic children eager to make their portraits.
During this engaging session, Thao explained the inspiration and backstory behind her picture book “Thao”. She introduced the book by reading aloud a few short excerpts to the audience, explained her experience growing up with a name that no one could pronounce, and how she had tried to stay true to herself throughout. She pointed out interesting pictures and illustrations from the book, tracing the meaning and emotions behind each one, and helped children understand how art can be used to express personal stories.
After the reading, Thao explained why she likes making collages so much—it’s such a versatile medium! Anything can be used to make art, even if it’s something as simple as scraps of paper, fabric, or materials found around the house. It truly allows for endless possibilities for creativity and self-expression. She described the process of creating a papercut self-portrait as assembling a puzzle, where you craft each element, such as the face, hair, and clothing individually. You then piece them together to form a unique and personal portrait that represents not just your physical appearance but also elements of your personality and identity, making the final artwork truly one-of-a-kind. She also demonstrated how a multitude of different mediums can be used to create the portrait, including string for your hair and wrapping paper for your clothes.
Once the time came to make our portraits, the room buzzed with palpable excitement. Children, authors, and teachers alike immersed themselves in the portraits they were making, excited to work with the diverse array of art supplies they were provided with. Construction paper, pencils, scissors, glue sticks, wrapping paper, and sketch pens were spread out on the tables, waiting to be transformed into vibrant, imaginative portraits. Thao encouraged everyone to experiment with different textures and colors, reminding them that there were no rules—only creativity. As the children snipped, glued, and layered their materials, they began to see their personalities emerge in their artwork, smiling proudly as Thao walked around the room, offering encouragement and feedback. Thao ended the session by asking participants to display their portraits, where attendees marveled at the diversity and individuality of each piece. Each participant left this session satisfied with their portraits and the knowledge of what they reflected about them as a person.
