[Face Values] is a philanthropic initiative that has grown out of Autumn’s work in her capacity as a member of Turn Around Arts and her role as the youngest ever artist appointed to the President’s Committee on The Arts and Humanities.

Autumn takes children and youth, often from socio-economically challenged communities, through an ‘epiphany experience’ as they participate in creating an actual painting – a self-portrait.

Autumn has conducted this activity countless times – it has taken her from Brooklyn to San Bernardino and from Miami to Minnesota. Many of these works could hang in galleries or museums – the range of output from these young art makers harkens to notable painters like Matisse, Basquiat and Picasso. These self-portraits become the faces of a generation – urgent and heartfelt.

Not only do these young people often lack the opportunities and resources to do creative projects at home, they often lack opportunities in their schools and communities.  

Autumn believes deeply in the importance of nurturing creativity and self-expression. She believes that we live in a time when imagination and creativity have never been more valued or more needed. No one should be limited and impeded in developing their creative voice and bringing their imagination to life because of racial discrimination or economic scarcity. Why should creative opportunity be gerrymandered? Talent and creativity transcend race, creed and economic standing. Autumn believes every young person should have the opportunity to create and self-express.

Autumn has created a system by which, within an hour, each and every participant creates their own self-portrait. Her system consists of tools of her trade and advanced techniques which she has re-packaged into an accessible and engaging activity that allows each student to create a striking likeness of themselves on a 24X18 inch canvas, which is theirs to keep. Utilizing a combination of paints, brushes unconventional tools and technology, these students learn that there’s no such thing as a creative mistake and no such thing as creative perfection. They learn that creativity by its very nature ‘is’ perfection – that their creative choices are what differentiate them from everyone else in this world.

Incredible things happen when a young person creates something themselves, when they discover their previously unknown ability to create. The [Face Values] initiative is a paint on canvas activity; but one doesn’t need to put oil on canvas or watercolor on paper to find a creative voice. These art pieces become metaphors for believing in oneself. Autumn demonstrates to young people she visits that the most powerful creative message is  “I am”. 

Incredible things happen when young people are inspired by someone they feel is a peer, who has expressed appreciation and recognition for what they do. The greatest gift Autumn gives to those with less is the gift of showing them they are appreciated and recognized. Her intention is to help generate empowering moments that can ripple outward to positively affect their futures and lives.

Class visits are wonderful but how can a self-portrait created in an hour be leveraged to continue to motivate and inspire young people long after this activity or workshop comes to an end?

Autumn’s vision is designed not only to create self-portraits but to create professional artists in real-time.

She achieves this vision by creating an online marketplace where the artworks that have been created in the workshops are accessible through a range of products to buyers everywhere, from affordable calendars and coffee mugs to high end framed art prints. This range of products serves to address everyone from aunts and uncles to serious art collectors who believe that some of the most poignant and most meaningful expressions of creativity come from the purity of young people and the challenges of adversity.

The Autumn de Forest Foundation engages with a network of partnerships that include product fulfillment, financial services, technology solutions and back-end infrastructure and logistics. Interested buyers will be able to visit an etsy-style online market place that will have a dedicated page for each and every participant with the images they have created. Links to products across a wide range of price points will be available and fulfilled directly from project partners. All funds generated that are not part of costs to generate product and ship –  will be directly deposited into a 529 college savings account donated and managed by financial services partners. These accounts can accumulate funds over time that can contribute to the future education of these young creators.