Children’s art exhibit on display during conference

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A purple octopus drawn with crayon. A boat made of construction paper floating on a sea of blue yarn beneath a sky complete with tissue-paper clouds. See these and more at “Listen to the Children: Conversations in Visual Form,” an exhibition held in conjunction with the International Art in Early Childhood Association Conference.

The free, public exhibit will be on display in the Center for the Visual Arts Gallery on UT’s Toledo Museum of Art Campus Monday through Wednesday, June 6-8, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Children artists and their parents are invited to the opening, which will take place from 5:45 to 7 p.m. Monday, June 6.

The young artists, who range in age from 2 to 8, participated in the UT Children’s Art Workshop.

“Each child was partnered with a University student for six weeks,” said Dr. Katherina Danko-McGhee, UT professor of art education, who organized the conference and exhibit. “During this program, the children explore different art media.”

Works in the exhibition were created from recycled materials, paints, crayons, markers and chalk.

“The artworks in the exhibit reflect the aesthetic choices made by the children and how they responded to the art media,” Danko-McGhee said. “The reflective words that accompany each piece of work provide insight into the creative world of the child.”

When asked why he drew an octopus, Benjamin Tittl, 5, said, “I just like sea life. It is interesting, and I like to learn about different fish.” He added, “Purple is my favorite color, so I made my octopus purple. He lives in the Michigan Ocean.”

Tittl thought for a moment and then corrected himself: “He lives in the Michigan Lake by the beach.”

Danko-McGhee said the children and their parents will have the chance to meet educators, researchers and artists who will be attending the three-day conference hosted by the University and the Toledo Museum of Art. Click here to read more about the conference.

For more information on the exhibition and the conference, go to www.ecartconference2011.com.