This paper presents therapeutic art practices carried out with 60 orphan children in the small town of Ugarchin in northern Bulgaria. In 1999, a group of artists and teachers developed a varied program of art activities for these children. These activities included two 1-week visits and the opening of five art workshops--Art History, Ceramics, Painting, Installation Art, and Fashion Design. Given the high level of illiteracy among the children, as well as their difficulty verbalizing feelings and ideas, the group understood that the visual arts would provide a direct and immediate link to the children. The goals were to counteract negative influences in their lives, to improve their overall psychological and emotional state, and to broaden their cultural interests and understanding. The results, based on personal observation, validate therapeutic art practices as effective in a difficult context.