Outline:
A Teenage Artist’s Journey to Spreading Joy Through Art
Philadelphia has seen a new wave of creativity and passion from a 15-year-old artist named Faridah Ismaila. Her journey into the world of art began with a simple yet powerful phrase: “Do what makes you happy.” This became the inspiration behind one of her art pieces, which she printed on the back of her T-shirt. For Ismaila, this phrase isn’t just a motto—it’s a way of life.
“When I do art, it’s because it makes me happy, and when I can give my art to other people or spread the joy of art, it’s making them happy,” she said.
Ismaila, a digital artist and sophomore at Great Valley High School in suburban Philadelphia, recently launched her nonprofit organization, A Paint-full of Promise. This initiative offers free monthly art classes for children in her school district, ranging from kindergarten through sixth grade. The program is designed to help young artists express themselves creatively while also providing them with the tools and resources they need to explore their artistic talents.
The Birth of a Nonprofit
Working closely with educators in the district, Ismaila creates themed art projects that are both fun and educational. She provides supplies and classroom time to teach these young artists how to bring their ideas to life. The first club is scheduled for mid-January, featuring a winter wonderland theme where children will make snowflakes and paint winter-themed coasters.
Ismaila’s journey into the world of art and community service began years ago. She started by creating YouTube videos that taught the fundamentals of art, such as how to create a gradient or depict a sunrise. These videos were shared within her Malvern neighborhood, and she thought, “Why not hold a class for younger kids?”
Over the summer, she set up two art projects—painting and colored pencils—in her garage, leading about eight kids through a lesson. She called this initiative Faridah’s Art Crafty Corner. Holding the class made her happy, so she decided to expand it, turning it into a summer camp under the new name: A Paint-full of Promise.
Recognition and Confidence
Ismaila’s talent has not gone unnoticed. She was the state winner and a national finalist in the 2022 Doodle for Google competition, where young artists compete for their work to be featured as the Google homepage design. This recognition gave her the confidence to pursue her dreams, including her nonprofit and club.
“It makes me feel I can still do this. Because sometimes I’ll doubt myself. … I can’t be having all these big dreams,” she said. “But if people want to vote for me and I am recognized nationally, I feel on top of the world. I can do anything.”
The nonprofit officially launched last month at an event in Malvern, where Ismaila raised money by auctioning off prints of her work and selling T-shirts with her designs. Anne Dale, an art teacher at Great Valley High School who serves as an adviser for the club, expressed her admiration for Ismaila’s ability to involve other high school students in running the club.
“A lot of students have big ideas for clubs, but there’s not always follow-through. With her, it’s definitely different, and I knew that when she approached me with it,” Dale said.
Art as Emotional Expression
For Ismaila, giving kids the tools and opportunity to create artwork is essential. She often turns to art to process her emotions. “It’s just the best thing ever,” she said. “Once you start doing art as a kid, it’s just a great way to get your feelings out there and express yourself, even if you can’t use words to describe it.”
One of her pieces, “Beauty Within,” depicts a skeletal hand holding a white mask, with a tear running down its cheek. Behind the mask, flowers bloom. This piece came from a feeling of constantly analyzing herself, the realization that what you show people is not necessarily what’s on the inside.
Another piece, created during a period of serious sleep deprivation, shows a face with an assortment of pixels, pizza, stick figures, and paint pouring out. She is currently working on a piece that shows herself, in vibrant colors, pointing to her reflection. She wanted to capture the feeling of two versions of the self—one confident, the other fragile.
A Growing Legacy
Sometimes, her mother, Nofisat Ismaila, feels as if they are holding her back. “I don’t know how I’m gonna keep keeping up with this girl, because she’s just taking us to places, keeping us busy, keeping us on our toes,” she said. “She’s turning out to be a really young, determined adult.”
But for Ismaila, the goal remains clear: to find happiness and share it with others. “I really hope the kids just do what makes them happy. … It’s also just not being afraid to get out there, because when I was a kid-kid, I wasn’t afraid of anything,” she said. “I think middle school really kicks some kids in the butt, and getting up out of that — at least for me, art was a way to do that. I just want to give that to kids.”
