Young Artists Display Their Masterpieces

Customers at Starbucks in Bernardsville are enjoying their beverages surrounded by original artwork this week.

The art exhibit, which is on display at the Starbucks (by the Kings supermarket on Route 206) through Sunday, Feb. 27, consists of works created by area youngsters ages 3-5. The young artists (attend the Gentle Shepherd Christian Preschool, Little Footprints Learning Center, The Tree House Child Caring Center and Weintal Preschool – all in Basking Ridge – and participate in the Wee Little Arts program.

Wee Little Arts is a visual arts program that started about 10 years ago in Charleston, S.C. and was brought to New Jersey last year by Basking Ridge resident Marie Johnson.

Johnson, who had majored in art history at Hunter College, New York, taught pre-school in the area for 21 years. She described the Wee Little Arts approach as “very different from the typical art program.”

Starting at age 3, she talks to the students about artists such as Matisse and Picasso, introduces them to artistic terminology and reads them literature about the artists. The youngsters then head to the canvas, where they spend two classes working on their own masterpieces.

“They are incredibly creative at this age,” said Johnson.