Book helps kids discover their inner artists

ZOE FRALEY

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Most kids are happy to get their artwork on the fridge, but MaryAnn Kohl is putting kids� art into print. v The Bellingham author, 61, is featuring the works of American artists as painted by local children in her latest book, �Great American Artists for Kids,� a follow-up to her �Discovering Great Artists� art activity book. v Kohl talks to The Bellingham Herald about her talented young illustrators.

Question: How did you get the idea for these books?

Answer: Have you ever just had an idea and you don�t know why? That�s what this was. I was looking at the art of great artists and I thought, �How can you connect kids to the great art of the world?� And I thought if they could try the techniques and the style, they could get into it.

I also wanted them to know a little bit about the life of the artist that the kids could relate to that would inspire them. What I try to do is give them nuggets that will help them remember that artist through the rest of their lives, like that James Whistler painted his mother sitting because she was too tired to stand.

Q: How did the kids react?

A: They were so excited about the possibility of being published. Some were in the first book, so they already knew a little about the publishing world. They�re really excited about where it�s going.

Q: Where did you find your child artists?

A: They�re mostly second graders from Rebecca Van Slyke�s class at Bernice Vossbeck Elementary School. They (and other local children) would submit their work and do portrait sketches of each artist, and those are amazing.

Q: How is it working with kids?

A: It inspires me because they�re so serious about illustrating. Whatever their assignment was they took it very seriously and worked very hard. They were very adult about it and they met deadlines. They were great. I prefer children. I wish you could�ve seen their faces.

Q: How was it to see their interpretation of the artists� works?

A: I�m very open to children�s individual creativity, so nothing surprises me. But I was really impressed by how closely they noticed the artists� style and were able to interpret it into their own art.