(Courtesy of Kaplen JCC on the Palisades) The Kaplen JCC on the Palisades Waltuch Art Gallery, located at 411 E. Clinton Avenue in Tenafly, will be showcasing “What is Art?,” an exhibition of fun, colorful creations made by children who attend the Leonard and Syril Rubin Early Childhood Center at the JCC. The varied subjects and styles in the exhibit celebrate the many ways in which young children explore wonderment, creativity and inspiration through art. The show will be on display from March 4-30.
What does art mean to us? What does it mean to children? And how can art broaden a child’s knowledge to enhance his or her experience? The JCC early childhood teachers asked these questions and this month’s art show provides the answers in an exciting, colorful, inspirational exhibit that reveals how curious young minds know no bounds when it comes to cultivating artistic individuality. The teachers often incorporate STEAM studies (science, technology, engineering and math) into their program, and the month of February infused the A for art. The children began “STEAMing” forward with creative projects that demonstrate how children are constructive learners who connect with their environment with both inspiration and inquiry. The show was also influenced by the Sheva framework, which uses seven Jewish lenses to reveal universal values and supports the study of art as a journey that sparks reflection, potential, amazement and the spirit of inquiry.
In preparation for this highly versatile show, each class chose a style and medium to work with and then created artistic pieces that conveyed a shared class vision or individual masterpieces. Some classes were inspired by famous artists and the children imitated their style by creating 3D florals like Georgia O’Keeffe, watercolors like Claude Monet, primary shapes and lines like Piet Mondrian, sculpting like Henry Moore, squiggle art like Sol Lewitt and pop art like Andy Warhol. Other classes acquired their inspirations from Shabbat, Tu B’Shevat and Israel. The possibilities were endless and so were the results.
“We are so proud of what the children in our classes created, and both the children and educators are beyond thrilled to have their work displayed in the Waltuch Gallery, where it can be seen by everyone who visits the center,” said Jill Rosalimsky, a program supervisor at the center. “This second year of our exhibit has continued to be living proof of how art helps children develop cognitively, socially, physically and emotionally, but most importantly, it boosts self-confidence and creates opportunities for sensory exploration. This exhibit will serve as a source of continuing inspiration and joy for children in our school for years to come and we are so incredibly pleased to have it as part of our early childhood curriculum.”
The gallery is open 9 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday and Sunday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; closed Saturday. For more information please contact Nina Bachrach at 201-408-1489 or [email protected].
