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Life & Arts

MFAH displays kids' hands-on art experience

by RUTHIE RODRIGUEZ
The Daily Cougar

Most children's artwork is limited to display on the refrigerator door or in family scrapbooks, but the imaginative artwork of K.E. Little Elementary third-graders has been shown in The ExxonMobil School Tour Program at the MFAH since Jan. 13.

The artwork reflects the students' interactive tour through Museum of Fine Arts, Houston during their April 2006 visit. It was the first art gallery experience for some of the students.

During the docent-led tours, 108 third-graders were divided into small groups and introduced to the creative process of comparing and contrasting works of art. They were also taught basic art vocabulary and were given the chance to sketch and discuss various pieces.

When they returned to school, the third-graders used their sketches and impressions of their museum experience to recreate such pieces as the James Turrell light tunnel, Georgia O'Keeffe's art from Africa and other works in the museum's permanent collection. 

The ExxonMobil School Tour Program proved to be a rewarding experience for both teachers and students. 

"As an art teacher, what I enjoy most is witnessing my students experience those exciting moments of discovery as they observe the world around them," said Virginia Nemir Lukefahr, a K.E. Little Elementary art teacher. 

Through the efforts of Victoria Ramirez, school programs manager at the MFAH, K.E. Little Elementary and the MFAH have established an ongoing partnership to help spark children's enthusiasm for visual art and nourish art education at the school.

The student's pictures and sculptures feature crayon, marker, tempera, gel pens, pastels and modeling clay and are, for the most part, reminiscent of the artwork they attempted to recreate.

A selection of the third-grader's artwork will be on display at the Kinder Foundation Teacher Resource Gallery on the lower level of the Caroline Weiss Law Building, 1001 Bissonnet St., until June 24.

If you want to witness what goes on in the minds of third-graders, don't hesitate to check out the exhibition.

Tickets to the MFAH are $7 for general admission and $3.50 for children, students and seniors.

For more information on the exhibition, call (713) 639-7300 or visit the MFAH Web site at www.mfah.org.

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