Queensland Art Gallery Presscuttings Book 8 : Pressclippings, 1977-1981

Above: The Chlld In Art exhibition at the QUNnaland Art Gallery had • apec:ial aection where children could try their hand at drawing. Her• • Wynnum WHI State School atudent aita contemplating two owl• he I• drawing. Trying lo reproduce lhe oil painting "The Mother, 1907" by George Lambert al the Queensland Arl Gallery Child in Art exhibition are Christine Nacion and Gavin Dietz. 10 Sunday Mall Co/or, August 26, 1979 The Queensland Art Gallery has experimented with a new venture aimed specifically at attracting children to the ga llery. Thi s exhibition from August I to August I9, was expected 10 be the forerunner of many programme s primaril for children in the gallery. Ga llery director (Mr. Raoul Mellish) sa id the exhibition was an experiment 10 sec what could be done. llc sa id: "In a lot of cxliibit1ons we will now be looking al how the educa tion systems can be brought in. "Similar activities as the Child in Art exhibition wi ll be far more prevalent when I he new gallery is opened." Mr. Mellish sai d the cxhiLition was part llf a plan to have the Queensland Art Gallery recognised as the focal point of visua l art activities ror the whole of the State. "We arc looking nt all means of reaching 0111 to provide a service for the whole of the State," he said. Ex hibiti ons would be brough1 10 the rest of the State with lectures by staff, video tapes and samples of I he works used . The venture, "The Child in Art" exhibition, included two sculptures and 51 other works including children's paintings. This was integrated with a display of equipment from the early 20th century school morn, loaned by the Kelvin Grove College of Advanced Education. The Gallery also showed how a children's book was made and displayed chil– dren's toys, games and books. T l; c .:>talc Library conducted story telling in the Gallery for children aged between six and 11 . Fi lms, video tapes and gallery games were planned for children during the exhibition. Brisbane State High School put on a concert during one afternoon of the exhibition. 00000 Mr . Mellish said a ll activities were designed It> encourage children to look al I he ga ii cry as a place where imaginative and stimulating thing, hnpixned . "Many chi ldren experience their firsl con1ac1 wi1h the Queensland Art C,allcry 1hrnugh school excursions. II i, i111portan1 for children 10 build on their fir,t c,po,urc 1,1 real art w rk,." he ,a id. "There were di ·plays uf toys and books, many <lf "Wow" - two-and-1-hol sculpture "The Vi1it1li