Sylvania museum offers showcase for young artists

Sylvania Central Elementary first graders Kaylee Skinkiss, 6, and Quinn Rinke, 7, stand near their artwork that's displayed at the Heritage Museum in Sylvania.

The Blade/Lori King
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Sylvania Central Elementary first graders Kaylee Skinkiss, 6, and Quinn Rinke, 7, stand near their artwork that's displayed at the Heritage Museum in Sylvania.

Canopic jars and Ndeble dolls may not be the first things to come to mind when the topic is elementary school art, but they're among the assortment of pieces on display at the annual Sylvania Student Art Show at the Heritage Museum on Main Street.

The art, on walls and shelves and in display cases, represents work by students in the school district's seven elementaries. Each Wednesday evening, the museum is holding a reception for one of the schools and its artists. Central Elementary was the first school so honored, at a gathering last week that drew dozens of students, family members, teachers, and friends.

Tina Arndt, Central's art teacher, said the art classes follow a historical timeline, and works done by the children reflect the culture and forms of the period and place under study. Canopic jars, for instance, were used by ancient Egyptians, and Ndeble dolls are from Africa.

"We start in the Stone Age and most of us get through the Baroque period," she explained. "Right now I'm in Russia. Others are in South America."

The museum, a converted historic Sylvania home, is a terrific place in which to showcase the students' work, she said.

"What's unique about the house is you can find so many ways to display the works," she said. Indeed, even curtains are used for the exhibits.

Fourth grader Caitlin O'Shea and her mother, Michelle O'Shea, admire weavings that include one created by Caitlin, who said she likes purple and green and pink.

Joyce Armstrong, director of the Sylvania Historical Village, where the museum is situated, said the art show nicely fills the post-Christmas lull.

Joseph Bucher, 7, a first grader at Central, had a ceramic owl made of brown clay on display. He said the inspiration for it came from Native American art he learned about in Ms. Arndt's class.

His mother, Jennifer Bucher, is an art teacher at Timberstone Junior High and a strong proponent of art education. "His art class is wonderful," she said.

Kim Rinke, whose daughter, Quinn, 7, also made an owl, said Quinn had a lot of fun completing her assignment.

Caitlin O'Shea, 10, a fourth grader at Central, did a weaving that was hung on a curtain. "I like purple and green and pink," she said. "They're my favorite colors. I did it by hand."

Her mother, Michelle O'Shea, beamed proudly. "The art projects are always amazing, very creative," she said.