Children’s Art Goes on Display

Award-winning entries in the International Children’s Art Exhibition, sponsored by Pentel, are on display at county libraries, including three in the South Bay through Dec. 22.

Each library displays about 10 pieces of art, part of a 250-piece traveling collection of children’s art from around the world that is now being exhibited in the United States. Before exhibition in Los Angeles County Libraries, the art works were shown in Chicago in September and in Malvern, Pa., in October. The traveling U.S. exhibition will conclude in May, when it will be shown in Houston. The winning creations were selected from 46,000 international entries submitted by students, ages 5 through 15.

The works of six Los Angeles-area youths were selected to tour with the exhibition, and 30 other Los Angeles and Orange County students were among the 602 United States artists who received the Pentel Award.

San Pedro resident Melissa Bugarin, 8, of Holy Trinity School, won a Silver Award for her work titled, “Melissa and the United States.” Her entry is part of the traveling exhibition.

Among other South Bay youths winning Pentel Awards are: Holy Trinity students Monica Ruiz, 6, for her entry, “Spring,” and Joey Utovac, 8, for his entry, “A Boy in America.” Two Palos Verdes Estates artists, both students at Lunada Bay Elementary School, also won Pentel Awards. They are Danny Lee, 7, whose entry was “The Spooky House,” and Lysa Ryan, 8, who entered “The Friendly Octopus.”

South Bay libraries exhibiting the entries and their hours of operation are: Gardena, 1731 W. Gardena Blvd., telephone 323-6363, open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; Hawthorne, 12700 S. Grevillea Ave., 679-8193, open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday; Carson, 151 E. Carson St., 830-0901, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Judging for the contest began last December, when 45,789 paintings, drawings, sketches and collages arrived in Tokyo as entries in the 19th annual International Children’s Art Exhibition. The judging, based on originality, clearly expressed content and depiction of native characteristics, was completed by last May.

Several exhibitions were assembled and sent out to tour in countries around the world.

The art contest and exhibition are sponsored by Pentel Co.