Some of the University of Waterloo's youngest students are well on their way to becoming environmentally conscious artists.
The 60 preschoolers in the Early Childhood Education Centre,
From painting with marbles, making their own paper, and building mobiles from reclaimed objects to creating "fish prints" (like those at left) by painting a market-fresh fish and then pressing it to their canvas, the children took their newfound environmental knowledge and transferred it to a variety of artistic mediums.
The exhibit was organized by Marianne Appleby, administrative assistant in the Department of Psychology, who collected the children's artwork, mounted it, and recorded the medium, artist, technique, and some genuine childlike insight into their place in the world.
"Mare Appleby was looking at ways to brighten up our halls, and she invited the preschool to create art tied to Earth Day," says Valerie Rozon, director of the ECEC. "The art is about the Earth we live on and how we take care of it."
The parents of the preschoolers were invited to a special showing on Thursday, April 16, and the artwork will remain up for the rest of the month. "We welcome people from across campus to come and enjoy our art exhibit during the month of April," writes Rozon.
The exhibit is easily accessible by elevator from the PAS entrance nearest to Hagey Hall, and the artwork spans a considerable length of the third-floor corridor, ending near the PAS lounge.
The Early Childhood Education Centre was established by the Department of Psychology in 1974, and occupies space on the first floor of the PAS building.
by Brandon Sweet, Communication and Public Affairs bulletin@uwaterloo.ca