Once again, the students of artist Kate Gaydos have their artwork on display at the Plainsboro Public Library. The exhibit opened with the Festival of the Arts held on Saturday, September 18 and continues until Friday, October 15. More than 100 works are being shown in the children’s section of the library.
The Color Wheel Kids is a group of children, most from Plainsboro and West Windsor, between the ages of 5 and 11. For two hours weekly, during the school year and throughout the summer, talented youngsters gather to learn diverse techniques such as acrylics, pencil, charcoal, pastel and watercolor. Says Gaydos: “Each child is encouraged to create their own composition, based on the many interesting and appealing objects available to them, or to use their memory and feelings, to produce an original view of the world. With their innate talent plus their learned ability to observe, draw, mix and apply colors, the results are worthy of attention.”
This year’s works are presented in groupings by subject titled Seasons; Animals; Family, Friends and Myself; The City; Fruits and Flowers; War and Peace; and Imagination.
The young artists include Amanda Clayton,”10; Ria Sjamsu,”10; Aji Sjamsu, 7; Daisy Wu, 10; Anh Nong,”7; Joel Roberts,”11; Melissa Bergman, 10; Tanmay Rao, 7; Tiffany Wang, 8; Scott Hanks, 7; Olivia Hanks, 8; Scarlet Hanks, 4 «; Harris Avgoustis, 5; Victoria Giannola, 7; Megan Heim, 10; and Allison Altiero, 10. They are students at Town Center, Village, and Maurice Hawk elementary schools; Millstone River Upper Elementary; New Horizons Montessori; and Community Park (Princeton).
“The young artists are taught the subtleties of line, form, proportions, light and shade,” says Gaydos. “With just primaries and white, they learn to produce any color variation, hence the name The Color Wheel Kids.”
Gaydos was born in Colombia, South America, where she graduated wiht a degree in interior design. Later she studied painting under maestro Alejandro Obregon, one of Colombia’s foremost painters. She also studied at the Accademia de Belle Arti in Florence, and at the Academia de San Fernando in Madrid.
“The children learn about the work of the masters while still creating with the vision and feeling of their young age,” she says. “Great achievers cite the experiences from their early years as the major source of their inspiration. I hope that the positive reinforcements I transmit to my students will always resurface throughout their work and lives.”
