Art exhibition opens to celebrate kids' creativity over the school holidays

A number of art students and their work at the art exhibition now open at Cooks Gallery. Photo / Bevan Conley

Cooks Gallery, hidden behind Ridgway St, will house hundreds of pieces of children's artwork over the school holidays to celebrate and display their creativity.

Roughly 25 art students from Rei Hendry's Art House have worked on multiple projects over the year and now have the opportunity to show the wider community.

"It's a chance for them to have joy and celebration of the work that they've been doing," Hendry said.

The exhibition kicked off at mid-day on Sunday with a puppet show from the children and a presentation about viewing art at an art gallery.

From printmaking to pastels, drawing to construction, the creations are splashed around the room in different categories.

The exhibition will run from Monday till Saturday, 10am to 2pm during the school holidays, hosted by children who have created the pieces and their parents.

There will also be materials available for children to make their own artwork and hang it on display to make the exhibition grow, Hendry said.

Hendry who has been an art teacher and a visual arts advisor for many years believes art gives children the chance to interpret topics the way they want to and be creative with it.

"I try to give them a taste of everything, to get experience and exposure, and it compliments nicely with what they're doing in schools," Hendry said.

The primary and intermediate students attend art classes after school on Tuesdays 4pm to 5pm and Thursday 5pm to 6pm at Hendry's renovated villa which has been running as an Art House since 2000.

She has help from three mums that come along both afternoons to assist her which she said helps the children to explore and create many different forms of art.