CHILD-CENTERED ART

Arts | April 27th, 2016

Next week, Fargo’s chapter of The Goddard School will hold their 4th Annual Art Fair to raise funds for their early childhood education services. This family-friendly event will be free and open to the public.

Eleven paintings, all created by students, are currently on display in classroom windows, along with bidding sheets. On Wednesday, they will be moved to Barnes and Noble, where the silent auction will continue. Parents are free to meet and greet with faculty and staff while children browse book selections or gather around for story time.

“Barnes and Noble has been incredibly generous to us!” says Director of Education Jamie Moe. “Not only are they fabulous hosts, but they also donate a percentage of sales for us to purchase books and supplies for our classrooms. They provide posters and give us an online code that people who are unable to attend may use to support our school.”

All classrooms at Goddard, including the infant room, participate in creating works of art to be auctioned off at the fair. They can be hand-painted, finger-painted, cut and pasted, covered in glitter, or anything else the teachers come up with.

“Teachers are given creative control, but the art must be child-centered,” Moe explains. “Teachers come up with the idea, but the children really make it happen. Art can be whatever can stick to the canvas!”

This will be the second year that the art fair will have a running theme. This year the theme is children’s book author and illustrator Eric Carle, who wrote classics such as “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” and “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?”

“Last year was the first year that we decided to have a theme,” Moe says. “Before then, teachers came up with whatever they wanted for their canvases. Last year, we thought it would be fun to have everyone center around Dr. Seuss books and the teachers loved it. They said it was actually easier to come up with ideas when they had somewhere to start.”

In the past, winning bids have ranged from $30 up to hundreds of dollars, with the starting bid being just $1. This year the money will go towards purchasing dramatic play items, such as costumes, toys, props, and playroom furniture.

Goddard is a private preschool and daycare that utilizes the most current, academically-endorsed methods to help children thrive, such as the Nurtured Heart Approach and the Fun Learning Experience (FLEX®) Learning Program. Daily enrichment programs include sign language, yoga, music, and language learning.

IF YOU GO

Goddard School’s 4th Annual Art Fair

Wednesday, May 4th, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Barnes & Noble, 1201 42nd St S, Fargo

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