Surrounded by art and artists for 10 weeks at the
Celebration of Fine Art gives one a lot to think about. Not many children come to the show, but from time to time, some wonderful home schooling parent shows up, or a grandmother patiently explaining to her charges how this or that is created. I applaud these parents and grands! With art budgets being decimated everywhere, it is so important to expose kids to "original" art - art which comes from the mind and hand of the artist. Not patterns, not tracings, not molds, not kits, not mass produced Barbie scenes, or production line action figures, not poster prints, not extruded clay figures or paint by number.
Bring them to the Celebration of Fine Art. This is what they can see -
Liana Tumino doing real, original frescos of her mother's village in Italy, done in the traditional way on plaster she makes in her studio;
Ken Newman sculpting huge hunks of wood with gouges and hammers, turning slabs into beautiful soaring birds and wild coyotes erupting from the log;
Eric Poulson with nothing but a palette knife and a tray of oil paints creating morning desert scenes and jars filled with bright blossoms. And there are about 80-90 more artists creating from their imagination every day - no kits.
And if you want to give your child or grand something that will last a lifetime, consider starting an original art collection for them by buying a small piece each year...a small oil painting, a tiny bronze, a hand made bead........if a child sees that a house can be painted, perhaps he will see that he could design a house. If a child sees that a bird can be carved, perhaps she will see that a species needs saving. If a child sees color being mixed, perhaps it will be a happier day.
