Trio of MHS freshmen create art instruction videos for youth

A shared passion for art among three BFFs is the driving force behind Naomi Gong, Annabelle Liu and Christine Lee’s “Azen Seagulls Project,” in which they produce instructional arts and crafts videos for kids and young teens.

“My friends and I have a strong passion for the arts, and we believe that due to quarantine, it is the perfect time for others to explore it as well,” said Naomi, who came up with the idea of creating the videos on YouTube. “All of our videos are kid-friendly, engaging, and suited for all skill levels.”

The three 15-year-old Milpitas High School freshmen post their videos every Monday on their YouTube Channel. They also developed an Azen Seagulls Project website and can be followed on Instagram @azen.seagulls.

“We got 60 views the first week and then the second week our views increased to 100 views,” Annabelle said. “We were all shocked (with the increase in views). It really motivated us to make more videos.”

Christine shared that producing and editing the videos is “time-consuming but once you get used to it, it’s kinda fun.” Video lessons include “How to draw hands” and “How to make Origami hearts,” and they are designed so parents can follow along with their children. The group also tries to create videos  that incorporate STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics) in the lessons.

“When I was younger, I was very impatient. Art really kind of settled me down,” Naomi said. “When we hang out, we are usually doing something art-related. It is a passion we share, and we want to share it with others.”
​
The three friends tagged themselves the “Azen Seagulls” while in middle school, mostly because they would share one another’s food and swoop in for a taste similar to the seagulls waiting nearby to snatch food away from an unsuspecting victim.