Art Trekkers get creative at new art centre

Young artists Alora Davies and Aimee Bach with Art Trek Facilitator, Letitia Davis	Young artist Calum Thomas, with his maple tree
Young artist, Iain Smith: “I’m making a maple tree, that looks kind of like a space ship.”	Young artists at the National Gallery’s Art Trek

Friday,  October 7, 2005

Art Trek is a monthly art class for children at the National Gallery’s new Education Centre at Merren’s Plaza, George Town, where the children meet on the first Tuesday of each month between 3:30 pm and 5:00 pm.

The Art Trek programme is in its fourth year. It was initially an outreach programme that went into each district alternately throughout the year.

“Children and teens are a major focus of the work we do at the National Gallery as it is crucial to develop their artistic knowledge and aesthetic understanding at a young age,” said Director of the National Gallery, Nancy Barnard.

The aim of Art Trek’s is to keep children involved in a monthly art programme, while teaching them about different cultures. “Sometimes we have chosen themes from Caribbean countries; or sometimes countries further away. One time had Russia as a theme and all made Russian dolls,” Ms Barnard said.

The theme for last Tuesday was ‘Canada.’ Art Trek facilitator, Letitia Davis, started off by asking the children some questions about Canada, and showing them some pictures from a book, before the children were asked to make a maple tree using coloured tissue paper for leaves.

Ms Davis instructed the children to begin by drawing round their hands; the outline of their fingers were to represent branches, she said.

After that, young imaginations were let loose as the children clothed the tree with the brilliant colours of autumn, using plenty of tissue paper stuck on with glue.

One of the children, Iain Smith, said: “I’m making a maple tree that looks kind of like a space ship, from a show called Atomic Betty. Betty is a girl with red hair and when her bracelet beeps, that’s a signal that space is in danger.” Ms Davis said, “In June we did a coral reef project where we made crabs; in July we learned about Egypt, and the kids made pyramids. September’s theme was ‘Italy’ and we made stained glass windows. In November our theme will be ‘Thanksgiving,’ and we will be making turkeys out of pine cones.”

Some of the children’s parents and relatives stay with them during Art Trek; it is a good chance for them to get involved with art by helping their child.

The National Gallery has just started a new programme, called Art Party, where children can give their birthday party an artistic theme. Recently, the Gallery held its pilot Art Party at the new education centre. Twenty pre-schoolers attended the party organized for a child’s third birthday.

Gallery Director, Nancy Barnard, explained: “As mother of two young children, I was thinking about what would be a very unusual way to celebrate birthdays, and this concept of art parties came to mind.

“It is well-known that all young children love art, and so we wanted to test-run the idea with a party before offering this option to the public.”

During the first Art Party, Children moved between three art activities, ceramics, painting, and mixed media vase decorating, while supervised by their parents.

For more information about National Gallery children’s programmes please call the National Gallery at 945-8111.

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