Hewlett-East Rockaway Jewish Centre nursery school students get an art education

A typical gymnasium was transformed into an expansive art museum at the Hewlett-East Rockaway Jewish Center in East Rockaway. More than 2,000 pieces of art by the 115 children ranging in age from 10 months to 5 that attend the nursery school were on display for the annual art show.

This year, students studied the great masters of art, Jewish Centre Early Childhood Director Cheryl Karp said. Two days per week the students worked with full-time art teacher Rebecca Osder, a Hewlett resident.

“Seeing the kids light up when they walk in and see their work on the wall is more rewarding than anything else,” Osder said.

Andy Warhol, Jackson Pollack, Michelangelo, Georgia O’Keefe, Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh, Piet Mondrian, Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Keith Haring, Degas; Dale Chihuly and Hanoch Piven, were among the artists studied in class.

“The whole purpose of our art program is to make kids feel good about themselves,” Karp said. She added that the students learn about the artists’ work, their techniques and then complete their own projects in a variety of styles.

When the students were studying Michelangelo, they painted while lying on their backs. Similar to the glass pieces created by artist Dale Chihuly, nursery school students tried their hand at copying his work by heating plastic cups and plates.

Each piece of art on display was framed and labeled. “From start to finish, it’s done in a professional way,” Karp added. The work was on view from May 10-14. It takes about a week to set up the gym for the show, she said, and roughly three hours to take it all down. Students made a portfolio to safely transport their projects home.

“They always do such a gorgeous job with the art show every year,” said Carrie Wolkoff, a parent of three children who have attended or currently attend the nursery school.

Her son, Vaughn, 4, is enrolled and proudly showed his mom his Andy Warhol project within seconds of arriving at the gym.

Osder and Karp recently went to Manhattan to view the work of Israeli illustrator Hanoch Piven. He repurposes a variety of materials to create art. After seeing his work, Karp held a workshop with her staff and encouraged them to look at the items they would potentially throw away and create something with that.

Then, one morning, Karp invited the important men in the students’ lives to work on a piece of art made out of repurposed materials with the students. These pieces were on display at the art show.

Robin Goldberg, a grandparent from Hewlett, helped to set up the art show and attends every year. All four of her grandchildren have attended the nursery school. Two are currently enrolled. “Every year it’s amazing and this has topped it,” Goldberg said.