An illustration made with colored pencils by Liao Yaoyao. [Photo provided to China Daily]

"They're sincere and unaffected by commercial considerations. They simply convey what's in their mind and that should be the original intention of all artists."

One of the students, Gao Hongying, died of spinal muscular atrophy in February 2018. Her work bears testimony to her extraordinary talent. Although she has passed away, her work lasts, revealing valuable fragments of her existence - her bed, the plants she liked, her family and scenes from her daily life.

According to Zhang, their funds stem from Zhou and donations by renowned artists, including Zeng Fanzhi, Zhang Xiaogang and Fang Lijun.

The organization's major expenses are salaries and painting materials. It costs around 20,000 yuan to buy painting materials for one student per year, Zhang says.

The organization has been actively seeking more exhibition opportunities to raise the students' visibility.