“I Wish These Paintings Could Talk!”

November 5, 2009

Kindergarten teacher Christine Peluso points out details from "Emma's Rug," illustrated by artist Allen Say

 It was the pure-at-heart reviewing children’s illustrator Allen Say’s exhibit recently at Lamont Gallery, when kindergartners from Harris Family Children’s Center responded with enthusiasm and wonder. Listening to the story, “Emma’s Rug,” with Say’s illustrations of a young Asian artist, Ms. Peluso and Ms. Kosow’s class of kindergartners discussed what they heard and saw.

“I like the [picture with] the cat!” said one class member. “I like the bird,” said another, after the story was read. Another youngster described the part he liked best. “My favorite was the part when she [Emma] put her artwork and trophies in the trash. I liked the blue ribbon in that picture,” he said.

As they listened, some realized Emma was an artist full of creative ideas. “I like the part of the story where Emma’s ideas came out of her,” said one youngster. “That’s right,” said Peluso. “They were her own ideas.”

After the story, as the group continued their tour of the Frederick R. Mayer Art Center, they discovered other exhibits, produced by Exeter students. One entitled, “Wired@Exeter,” really drew the youngsters in. “When I saw that picture, it scared me,” said one classmate, describing the wired configuration and identical painting of a man’s face.  Another class member said she liked the wired figure and painting of the dancer. “A ballerina!” she said. “I’m gonna look at the ballerina.”

Finally, one 5-year-old summed up his reaction to the morning’s visit when he said, “I wish these paintings could talk!”

Kindergartners weren’t the only students to be wowed by Allen Say’s work. All 200 Junior Studies students also worked in the gallery, observing Say’s works and writing about them.

Interested in learning more?

 See more pictures of the kindergarten visit to Lamont Gallery...

Visit the Harris Family Children’s Center webpage…

 Learn more about the Lamont Gallery, and “The Art of Allen Say: A Sense of Place”

Read about upcoming exhibits at Lamont Gallery

 See photos of Exeter student art...