Children's art on display at library

For most young people, an interest in art begins at home, or sometimes in church while sitting through a lengthy sermon.

Neat little sketches on scraps of paper, napkins - or homework assignments - appear. The subject may be a sibling doing something annoying or funny; the pet cat with its paw in the fish tank or sleeping upside down on the couch; a chicken in the backyard sitting on the fence; a bluebird or hummingbird on a feeder, or a sketch of a school pal making faces.

The subject-matter is unlimited, the medium and style whatever come to hand. Each of us with children hold onto those priceless works of art as keepsakes.

Like a young, enthusiastic musician, by the time that child reaches school-age they're ready for formal training. We have all watched as our kids begin to develop their artistic talents soon after exposure to an art teacher. Clay Warburton, Carolyn Platt, Bethany Gunnarson, and retired art teacher Mike Baynes are but a few of those teachers who are the catalyst for so many young, talented children.

Emily Ford, a sophomore at SHS, drew the otter accompanying this story over a weekend. Her mom, Jody (a talented artist in her own right) encouraged her to make it as life-like as possible, but still have fun with it. Like most art projects, it didn't stop there. Two other high school kids visiting Emily over the weekend picked up on the theme and created their own version of that same otter.

Throughout the month of March there will be hundreds of examples of children's art from all three Sisters schools hanging and standing in the Sisters Library. The exhibit is sponsored by the Friends of the Sisters Library (FOSL). The art is diverse, with students working in drawing, painting, masks and sculptures.

Students from Clay Warburton's third- and fourth-grade classes at Sisters Elementary School will be exhibiting large, colorful paintings in tempera.

Sisters High School art teacher Bethany Gunnarson and middle school art teacher Carolyn Platt will be displaying student art created in their classroom during the past year. The majority of this art will be coming from two consecutive student exhibitions held the past two months at the Pence Gallery at COCC, the Central Oregon Regional Scholastic Show, and a Curriculum Action Team Show where several Sisters students received

awards.