Celebrating Childhood

Date: 4/26/2010

CELEBRATING CHILDHOOD _ For the 12th year in a row, Kiddly Winks in Longmeadow has hosted a month-long clothesline art show featuring the woks of children from kindergarten through grade 5. This April, 10 elementary and preschools from Longmeadow, East Longmeadow, Springfield and Somers and Somersville, Conn., participated. Combined with individual submissions by area children, owner Joy Leavitt said she has about 700 works hanging throughout the store.

"This is a true celebration of children's creativity," Leavitt said. "Usually schools aren't able to show everybody's artwork .we give them an opportunity they just don't have." As always, the parental and patron response to the show, which closes April 30, has been overwhelmingly positive. Leavitt said all works will be returned to the artists, and each child will receive a ribbon for their participation. "There's no winner. Everyone is honored as a participant," she said.