'Nature Through A Child’s Eyes' on Display

The young Somerset County artists who produced 378 pieces of art for the 19th annual "Nature Through A Child's Eyes," exhibit at the Environmental Education Exhibit brought their families — and an overflow crowd — to last weekend's reception at the EEC building in Basking Ridge.

The free exhibit of art from 15 schools throughout Somerset County will continue through Feb. 13 at the EEC, operated through the Somerset County Park Commission, which is located at 190 Lord Stirling Road.

The artwork is from children in kindergarten through grade 6. Imaginative pieces include wire fish with beats from art teacher Alicia Bynoe at the Liberty Corner Elementary School. Susan Bivona's art students from the township's Mt. Prospect School contributed pieces with themes such as jumping in leaves, apple baskets and a "scarecrow landscape."

"It's kind of interesting how art ties in with nature," said Kimberly Ace, art teacher at the kindergarten through grade 5 Cedar Hill Elementary School in the township.

Ace said she chose some of the best work of 3o students from her classes, showcasing pieces she said she believes show extra effort on the part of those young artists.

Skylar Harvey, a fourth grader at Cedar Hill, contributed one of those pieces, "Animal Jungle."

"I think it's fabulous," Kathleen Harvey, her mother, said of the exhibit. "The kids are so talented."

She said she had never seen the show so crowded.

"In the past, we have had 1,000 people come through in three hours," said Daryl Anne Villard, the EEC naturalist who has been in charge of arranging the show. A crowd of children, parents and grandparents waited out the door of the EEC building as of midafternoon at Sunday's reception. On Tuesday, she reported that 850 people had passed through the reception.

The township's elementary schools, along with schools such as the Bedwell Elementary School in Bernardsville contributed pieces.

Nine-year-old Joe DeMarco, a student at the Bedwell school, said he had produced a landscape made from melted crayons.

The success of the reception also relied on volunteers. Two high school students, Andrew Wilk, a junior from Watchung Hills Regional High School, and ninth grader Chris Doyle from Ridge High School, assisted young visitors in making crafts such as paper snowflakes and ice crystals.

The children were given an assignment to create art reflecting their view of nature. As such, they produced weavings with leaves, sticks turned into a tree house and clay bowls with leaf impressions, along with the usual paintings and drawings.

The show officially opened on Jan. 2, and will continue daily from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except for major holidays. Adults and children can just drop by to enjoy exploring the creative minds of Somerset County students.