Art Kids

Caged Bird, a construction of found objects by Gary Retherford.

As you know, children interact with all things in their environment, including art. This interplay can range from a benign curiosity, to their deciding that a piece of art could do with a bit of conservation, or worse, restoration.

Take the small sculpture above, the bird has a raw, red head which you cannot see in the photograph. This came about some years ago when our twin granddaughters decided that Bird was dirty and they would scrub him. As their parents and grandparents were deep in conversation at the dinner table, the two busy conservators took bird into their own four hands.

Later, the artist offered to repair the piece but we felt that we did not want to alter Bird's history. And that was the right choice, for each time I look at him, I smile and recall the story of that sweet day with my granddaughters. Altered by two toddlers, Bird is all the more precious to us.

Another Kid Conservator Project

My son-in-law's parents are serious art collectors. In their home they have many wonderful pieces by Monet, Picasso, George Segal, etc. And then there's that one quite curious Picasso.

When asked, they tell of the time when they bought an important Picasso to add to their collection (a signed work on paper.) It was unframed, so it was placed flat on the dining room table, in its acid-free tissue, until there was time to take it to the framers. My, then five-year-old, son-in-law spied the piece and decided it needed a tad more color, so he fetched his box of crayons and completed the piece. Today, the Picasso is proudly framed and a wonderful story goes with the viewing.