Students Exhibit Their Art Lesson

Using a turkey baster, fly swatter and toilet plunger, preschoolers at Hart Street Elementary School mimicked abstract artist Jackson Pollock in creating a giant, paint-splattered puzzle.

The art project, done on the back of an old closet door, was one of 11 the children displayed Thursday at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, each in the style of a famous artist such as Norman Rockwell, Paul Cezanne and Georgia O’Keeffe.

Teacher Cheri Mahlknecht isn’t looking for exact duplication of famous paintings.

“The kids need to know it doesn’t have to be perfect,” said Mahlknecht, who has taught for 24 years. “Everything is right. Everything is good. And everything is theirs.”

Besides exposing the children to fine art, Mahlknecht demonstrates that practically anything can be used to create a masterpiece.

Old wooden blocks, street maps, paper bags and even part of a schoolyard tree that was cut down were incorporated into the art projects.

“Just about everything we use is recycled or pulled out of the trash,” she said.

“I don’t buy much. It’s too expensive.”

Four-year-old Frank Cardenas, who says he likes to “paint, color and make things,” is among the 30 students with limited English skills in Mahlknecht’s class.

His mother, Rosa Leon, is thrilled he’s getting so much out of

his first school experience.

“If you show children different things, they can follow whatever they like,” she said. “The more information he gets, the better for him. I’m learning about the artists, as well.”