Children's art gallery

'My family portrait. In this picture I have drawn all the family members most important to me, my sister didn’t fit in the picture, so I put her in a little box up the top.​'

– Anna, age 6

'This is my pet family, pets and other animals can be family too.'

– Anna, age 6

'My family'

Violet, age 7

'My family'

Tia, 8 years

'A family to me is like a forest because we are all connected like the roots of trees.​'

– Grace, age 9

'My family portrait, us at the beach, our favourite place to go together.'

– Jordan, age 9 

'This is my family portrait. It has Mummy, Daddy, my sister Anna and some of our pets as well.​'

– Rachel, age 9

'My family is safe, strong and nurturing like trees growing together. ​'

– Amelia, age 10

'This is a family gathering which is Mum, Dad, uncle, kids, auntie, cousins, nieces, nephew … sitting on a mat on the floor eating rice, chicken, falafel and meat and they are happy!​'

– R, age 7

'This is our Iranian new year table called Haft Sin. With seven symbols of Sabzeh, Samanu, Senjed, Serkeh, Seeb, Seer, Somagh – symbols of life, prosperity and renewal.​'

– R, age 7

'I imagined two places for my safe space. This one is a tropical island with a sea
turtle, a rainbow and palm trees, I like to be in nature and it makes me feel better.​'

– Anna, age 6

'My second imaginary safe space is a diamond castle with cats. Both sparkly things and cats calm me down because they distract me from my worries​.'

– Anna, age 6

'My bedroom is my safe space. It is quiet there, I can play without interruptions and I can hide under my bed if I feel scared​.'

– Tia, age 8

'I have filled my imaginary safe space with things and colours that make me feel happy.'

– Madison, age 8

'In my imaginary safe space I am in nature and I am high up on a cliff. I feel safe when I am up high because I can see everything from above​.'

– Archer, age 9

'I love nature and horses, I think I would feel safe in my imaginary toadstool cottage, living there with my horse friend.​'

– Rachel, age 9

'My safe space is an imaginary world filled with all the things I am interested in and comforted by​.'

– Jordan, age 9

'I like to go into my imagination when I feel I need a safe space. I imagine myself making friends with dragons.​'

– Lily, age 10

'When I feel sad I am good at asking Mummy for cuddles. Also cats are my favourite animal, which is why I made me and Mummy into cats in my picture.​'

– Anna, age 6

'When I am sad or scared I comfort myself by hiding under my bed covers.​'

– Violet, age 7

'My strength for overcoming challenges is creativity, I like to do art when I’m feeling worried. ​'

– Archer, age 9

'Creativity is my strength, I like doing art and making things when I feel sad or stressed.'

– Jordan, age 9

'Dolphins like swimming in pods and moving fast just like me. Moving around lots and talking to my teddy helps me deal with problems​.'

– Rachel, age 9

'My strength is reading. When I feel I have a problem I like to read to take my mind off it and stop stressing.'

– Amelia, age 10

'The two Red Pandas in this picture represent me and Papa (my Dad) I like to spend time with him when I feel worried or sad.'

– Lily, age 10

'My strengths: I am creative, kind, compassionate and fun-loving. 
Symbols: creative = squirrel, kindness = deer and dolphin, fun loving = dogs and birds. I combined all these creatures to make an animal that symbolises my strengths.'

– Kayla, age 11

'The wolf is a symbol of being courageous.​'

– Amelie, age 12

'I have drawn an Eagle to show that I am courageous in trying new things.'

– Lauren, age 13

'The dog represents my strengths of loyalty, bravery, reliability and cheeriness. The
lightbulb represents knowledge, ideas and fast thinking. Steampunk decorations on the dog represents my inventiveness and creativity.​'

– Zakk, age 14

'My strengths are demonstrated through animal imagery and symbolism. The bear fishing represents my willingness to persevere to achieve a goal and the cat represents my curiosity for new discoveries and playfulness. '

– Ella, age 15

'My strengths'

Caelin, 16 years

'Some of my favourite things that make me feel happy and comforted are: Mummy’s pizza and its smell, Daddy’s laugh, my sister and the photo of Mummy and Daddy’s wedding.​'

– Anna, age 6

'My favourite thing is to sit and read and draw, it always makes me feel good.​'

– Violet, age 7

'This is some of the things I love. Some of the things I like. And some of my favourite foods.​'

– Madison, age 8

'This is my imagination, and all the things I usually think about.​'

– Archer, age 9

'The things I like the most are drawing, basketball, reading and playing video games.'

– Jordan, age 9

'The things I like that make me feel happy, safe and comfortable are my headphones, lots of colours, my pets, the squeaking mouse in our ceiling, a dark cupboard with a door to hide in, a window to look out of, books and my teddy.​'

– Rachel, age 9

'This is a little comic strip of all the things I like that make me feel happy and comfy, the first one is of me hiding in my comfy bed when I feel sad.​'

– Grace, age 9

'The things I like most are horror movies, talking to my best friend on the phone, listening to my favourite song and playing with my dogs.'

– Lily, age 10

'This picture shows me when I’m feeling happy. The colour orange reminds me of happiness.'

– Kayla, age 11

'Emotions'

Lucy, 12 years

'My image depicts sadness.​'

– Ella, age 15

'My artwork depicts how feelings of love can make you feel warm and comforted even when you are surrounded by cold.​'

– Caelin, age 16

'I have depicted the things I like doing and thinking about in my head: reading, designing and constructing things and problem-solving.​'

– Zakk, age 14

'My image represents all the things I like doing and how they occupy my thoughts. Throughout it all is a need or desire to be outside in nature.'

– Ella, age 15

'My mind is often full of all sorts of things, the paint brush over my mouth represents my need to express myself through art, the eye represents the fact that sometimes I can’t sleep at night due to busy thoughts.'

– Kavindi, age 15