See a delightful, free exhibit of sea creatures that celebrates our youngest artists, ages 2-5.
The First Things First (FTF) Maricopa regions and the Herberger Theater Center (HTC) are partnering to present Sea Creatures, the sixth annual preschool children’s art exhibit that showcases the abilities of young children.
Guest-curated by Connie and A O Tucker, the Sea Creatures exhibit will be on display in the Herberger Theater Art Gallery June 1 – July 31.
The artwork was created by children in preschools and child care centers participating in Quality First, FTF’s statewide early care and education quality improvement system. Quality early learning environments – including teachers who know how to engage young minds, age-appropriate learning materials, and class sizes that give young children the individualized attention they need – are crucial to ensuring that children arrive at kindergarten prepared to be successful.
“Hands-on activities stimulate and encourage positive brain connections; they are also how young children begin to express their creativity and individuality,” said FTF CEO Marilee Dal Pra. “Encouraging children to express themselves through art provides a space for them to learn, discover and engage with the world around them. When children experiment with their environments, they learn skills that will help them be successful in school and in life.”
“The curiosity, enthusiasm and creativity of children is boundless when given the encouragement, opportunities and tools to experiment with ideas,” said Mark Mettes, president and CEO of the Herberger Theater Center. “Through their art, children remind us of the joy and excitement that occurs when taking time to explore the endless possibilities of the imagination.”
This year’s theme, Sea Creatures, showcases the joy in the creative process for young children, ages 2 to 5. The young artists were asked to illustrate their response to the question, “What’s your favorite sea creature and why?” Many of the works are group classroom endeavors, giving the children practice in creativity, collaboration, fine motor skill development and communicating ideas.
