A Playground of Color
Refresh your mind
and your imagination at A Playground of Color, the
Johnson-Humrickhouse Museum’s fourteenth special exhibit of
children’s art. Over 300 works are on display, spreading color,
energy and whimsy throughout the Montgomery Gallery. The exhibit
runs from January 23th to March 27th and
is also showing concurrently at the Coshocton and West Lafayette
Libraries.
Artwork for A
Playground of Color comes from students in kindergarten
through sixth grade who attend elementary and middle schools in
Coshocton’s city and county schools as well as from home
schools. Works are chosen by the students’ art teachers for
their creativity and excellence.
The exhibit shows
off a remarkable variety of artistic styles and media and
includes both two and three-dimensional pieces. Take a walk
around the gallery and you’ll understand that these students
aren’t just playing with crayons and scissors. They are learning
about perspective, primitive cave art, Expressionism, Pop Art,
still life, graphic art and more, using watercolors, pastels,
mixed media-collage, pen and crayon. Their work is very good
and, of course, fresh as they present a variety of images, from
landscapes and animal life to tribal masks and self portraits.
The public is
invited to the artists’ reception on Sunday, January 23th,
from 2:00 to 4:00 P.M. Admission is free. At the opening
reception students have a chance to show off their talents to
the public as well as experience the museum with their families.
Art teachers find it opens their students’ eyes to other
people’s work when they see what is created by their peers, and
they are hopeful that the experience generates incentive and
inspiration for new ideas. Students, families and visitors may
also explore the permanent exhibit galleries during the
opening.
Three children’s
art classes will be offered in January and February in
conjunction with the exhibit. Please contact the museum for more
information. The Ohio Arts Council helped fund this exhibit and
the art classes with state tax dollars to encourage economic
growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all
Ohioans.
You won’t want to
miss this exhibit, an excellent antidote for the winter blues.
It’s a fun experience for both young and old.
