Family Portraits, a project funded and supported by Maroondah Council and Glen Park Community Centre, is a collection of family portraits, personal stories, memories and histories of the centre's artists. It provides a snapshot of the artists' lives to pass on to future generations.

Last Wednesday, art tutor Alan Close and six artists presented the book to about 130 pupils in grades 5 and 6 at a special ceremony at Bayswater North Primary School.

Mr Close, who co-ordinated the project, said the idea for the project came about during a casual discussion between the artists at the centre.

"We were doing family portraits and we got talking with the artists about how families have changed. We wanted to pass on a visual record of our families, but a written record as well."

Mr Close said the artists ranged in age from their 40s to 72 so the portraits went back up to 50 years.

The book features 12 artists and will be added to. "It's an ongoing project that's been happening for about a year and people can still get involved. We're leaving quite a legacy."

Mr Close said the book would soon be published, available for sale and housed in libraries for the community to read.

Bayswater North Primary School principal Berna Buzaglo said the children had been "attentive and engaged" throughout the presentation.

"We had older people from Glen Park showing the children things they used when they were younger and the children were asking a lot of questions."

Ms Buzaglo said the project was a chance to form a connection between the children and elderly Bayswater North residents.

"Pupils were shown portraits of significant parts of [the artists'] lives. The children can look at what they have now and have an appreciation of it."

Details: Glen Park Community Centre 92947525.