Willow Glen Resident

Education

Nursery school artists showcase their stuff at Monsieur Beans

By Mayra Flores De Marcotte

A colorful and glitzy display of winter-themed artwork has caught the eye of Willow Glen residents sipping their morning lattes at the local coffeehouse.

Seventy-five local artists are displaying their creativity at Monsieur Beans of Willow Glen until the end of February. What sets these future Renoirs and Monets apart from other artists is their age, ranging from 18 months to 5 years.

The display is part of San Jose Parents Participating Nursery School's winter art show.

The nursery school, at 2180 Radio Ave., was the first parent-cooperative nursery school in San Jose. It was founded in 1950. In this co-op setting, parents are required to play an active part in their toddlers' education.

The artwork, which takes up the majority of the art gallery section in the coffee shop, consists of paper-plate snowmen, glittery landscapes and abstract watercolors.

"The artwork is too cute to keep private," says the owner of Monsieur Beans of Willow Glen, Yukimi Takamura. "Look at the little snowmen. Just looking at them makes you smile."

Parents and students alike take something away from seeing the artwork in such public display.

"It gives them a sense of pride," says Bryan Phipps of Willow Glen. He and his wife, Erin, have two sons, 4-year-old David and 2-year-old Benjamin, at the school.

"They have something out that others can see," he says.

Along with pride, there is also a general excitement.

"Having something that they can point to that is connected to a memory," he says, "is just as important to them."

The students worked for two weeks on producing their artistic expressions, says school board publicity chair Jennifer Packard.

Water bottles filled with paint were used to spray onto paper in the more avant-garde pieces, while kitchen utensils where used to create shapes in the landscapes.

"Some of the pieces are collage-oriented," Packard says, "but each child produced what was their fancy."

None of the children were given a model to work from, she says.

"Each used their own creativity," Packard says. "Here, we enjoy the process of making art, not reproducing something."

Having their artwork on display also teaches the students how their artwork affects their community, Packard says.

"It's the parents' responsibility to expose the child to the end product," Packard says. "They need to bring them to the coffee shop to see their artwork as well as bring family and friends to share."

The responsibility also spreads to the local vendors, she says.

"The vendors need to expose our children, and what they are doing in the classroom, to the rest of the community," Packard says. "We are fortunate in Willow Glen to have vendors that support our schools and these types of events."