Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, April 27, 1995 TAG: 9504290021
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: S-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ANN DONAHUE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Natural wonders? You bet.
Almost 90 area elementary school children will have their artwork displayed as a part of the Creative Child Fair at the zoo from 12 until 2 p.m.
The fair is the brainchild of Blue Ridge Public Television. WBRA, channel 15, was looking for a project that would highlight the talents of elementary school-age children.
"When we hatched this project, we wanted to give these kids a chance to shine," said WBRA public relations manager Margaret Crouse.
The children from Roland E. Cook Elementary in Vinton, West Salem Elementary and Westside Elementary in Roanoke created sculptures of zoo animals for the fair. One mural from each school also will be displayed.
Amy Chattin, education coordinator at the Mill Mountain Zoo, provided the initial inspiration for the children.
In an "animal comparison class," Chattin brought critters from the zoo to the classroom so the children could see them close-up. She brought in skunks, rabbits, snakes, tortoises and local birds of prey, like owls, for the kids to see.
Chattin also showed the kids feathers and skins so they could get a better idea of the color and texture of the animals.
Chattin stayed for about an hour and a half in the classes. "We usually do a 45-minute class, but the kids were so enthusiastic, we just stayed," she said.
"I've been in the business for a while, and I've never seen people get as enthused about a project as they have with this one," Crouse said.
Local artist Mimi Babe Harris has been an artist-in-residence with Roanoke City and County schools, and she spent 61/2 weeks helping the fifth-graders with their creations.
Harris sat in on Chattin's presentation. All the works created by the children are representations of wild animals - no domesticated ones allowed.
"They're really beautiful," Harris said. "They're extremely colorful."
Matt Russo, 10, is a fifth-grader at Westside Elementary. He said the bird he sculpted has a blue head, brown body and green and red stripes on the tail.
After using old newspapers to shape the animals, Harris said the children used acrylic paint in primary colors to paint them. On Saturday, each child will be allowed to bring three guests to the zoo for free. Each young artist will receive a free lunch and a certificate of achievement.
Crouse said everyone involved has been enthusiastic about the showing. "The cooperation has been marvelous," she said.
If you can't make it to the zoo Saturday, the children's artwork will be on display during June in the window of the Arts Council at 20 E. Church Ave. in downtown Roanoke.
In the upcoming months, each art project will be used as station identification for WBRA, so the children can see their work on television.
Crouse intends for WBRA to continue to put similar programs into action in the future. She's planning a local middle school project that will emphasize cartooning.
The Moss in the Valley Chapter of the P. Buckley Moss Society also will present a check to the Creative Child Art Project at the zoo on Saturday. The proceeds from a raffle of two Moss etchings will be donated to the project.
by CNB