From: ortchild at sfpl.lib.ca.us <ortchild>
Date: Wed, 4 Feb 1998 12:52:36 -0800

I agree that children may not understand, or CARE to understand art and the allusions that we adults see (or can be educated to see), but I strongly feel that children are able to appreciate a wide variety of artistic styles at an early age--and those "childish" impressions will serve them later as they are exposed more formally to art. Do most of us really appreciate Zelinsky's Rapunzel MORE because of those introductory "art through the ages" classes we were forced to take in college?? I find that art, like literature, has ever more to offer us when we savor it over the years. I saw my first Van Gogh at the age of 5, and over the many years since then I have come back to look at his work with new understanding-of his art in the context of the era, of his art in the context of mental and perhaps visual disturbances--understandings which do not in any way affect my first early delight. Not every child will like Zelinsky's interpretation of Rapunzel, but the point of the awards is not to appeal to every child.

Nancy Silverrod San Francisco Public Library
Received on Wed 04 Feb 1998 02:52:36 PM CST