Date: Fri 05-Apr-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: SHANNO

Illustration: C

Location: A-11

Quick Words:

Fay-young-artists-crafts-Liz

Full Text:

(young artists under Liz Fay's tutelage, 4/5/96)

These Young Artists Found A Creative Outlet

(with photos)

By Shannon Hicks

It is Thursday afternoon and at first glance, the kitchen and living area of

the Fay home in Newtown looks somewhat chaotic. It isn't. It is, however, an

area of artistic creativity, a hub of excitement and stimulation where young

artists are opening their minds and allowing their artistic veins to take

over.

Young Jackson Pollocks and John Singer Sargents, Georgia O'Keefes and Helen

Frankenthalers are industriously hard at work, each creating beautiful pieces

of art they will put into an exhibit at the end of a six-week session of

classes.

Matthew Triguax, 6«, has come in with a project he created at home. Before

class begins, he wanted to share it with his teacher, Liz Fay, who encourages

his creativity and says she may incorporate a similar work into a future

class.

Logan Allison, 7, and her brother Matthew, 5, are already at work decorating

invitations they will present to their parents later that night, asking them

to attend a garden installation party where works they and fellow artists will

be put on display. Liz Fay's own two children, Chelsea, 4, and Aron, 7, are

also working on their invitations, while the rest of the artists arrive for

the final class of a six-week session the group has been participating in

since early February.

"Crafts For Kids" is a little misleading. The art classes Liz Fay offers in

her home instructs young artists not only how to create some projects, but

also some life lessons each artist can interpret his or her own way. Each

child is creative, intelligent, open-minded and ready to use their

imaginations.

"I tell them they don't have to be an artist, but if they can just do things

to make themselves feel good, to give to other people maybe, that would be a

positive thing," says Liz.

Until a few years ago, Liz Fay was a full-time artist. She graduated Boston

University's program in artistry with a double major, having studied weaving

and surface design. She has been becoming more and more involved with her work

in recent years between holding various jobs - architectural photography,

running her own silkscreen business - and raising her family along with her

husband, Steve.

Logan Allison wants to be an artist. In fact, before the fifth session of

classes had concluded two weeks ago - each session meets once a week for six

weeks - Logan had already talked her mother into allowing her to take another

series of classes. The groups are kept small, averaging nine or ten

adventurous artisans, between the ages of four and seven.

"We make lots of neat things," Logan said a few weeks ago. An engaging young

lady, Logan was busy putting the finishing touches on a bird's nest, the

project of the day the class was working on. Next to her, Chelsea Fay was

working on just the right placement of some dried flowers going into her own

nest.

Classes have also involved projects like paper boomerangs or creating and

decorating birds. Liz Fay puts a lot of thought into coming up with projects

each artist can interpret their own way. Ideas are generally be taken home and

worked on further, as well.

"I liked when we made the little flowers [in a previous class]," Logan went

on. "My parents haven't seen any of our work yet. I said `You'll see!' when

they asked me about it."

Jill Trigaux enrolled her two sons, Christopher, 3«, and Matthew, 6«, in the

art group because she, like Liz Fay, values the experience an artistic outlet

can bring to a person's life.

"My father was a commercial and design artist, so I grew up in an artistic

atmosphere," Mrs Trigaux said. "I know Liz, and I've always liked what she did

with her own kids. We do a lot at home as well, but I think sometimes it's

more helpful for children to receive instruction from other people."

Christopher and Matthew both enjoy their art time. Christopher, the youngest

in the latest session of classes, was not only as creative as the rest of the

artists in Liz's class, but also as animated both in class and at home.

"They love it," Mrs Trigaux added. "[As a parent,] I was a little concerned

that, with the boys growing up in this world of computers, the importance of

hands-on art would be lost on them.

"It's been fun watching them try to keep their projects a secret until they

were ready to show them to us," she finished.

All minds need to be nurtured and encouraged if continual growth is to be

expected. The artists who have found their way to the "studio" of the Fay home

in Newtown are enjoying just that: they are learning from their teacher and

creating with their own hearts, imaginations and hands.