Today, MG Kids takes a look at a work of art in progress designed by a teenager in Mendham. Thanks to correspondent Alyse Jefferson for the report and to her big sister Ashley for helping with the photos.
MG Kids welcomes news reports, fiction, poetry and artwork from kids of all ages. Click here to find out how to contribute. Click here to see more of the MG Kids art and writing gallery.
By Alyse Jefferson, MG Kids correspondent
At Schiff Natural Lands Trust in Mendham, 17-year-old Emma Turner designed a mural that is being painted on the outside of the Schiff Nature Center. Emma invited her classmates and teachers from Mendham High School to help her paint the mural.
Emma made such a beautiful mural (I got to look at the sketch), and I wanted to know: Where did the idea come from? What was her inspiration?
“I was looking at a lot of Henry Rousseau’s paintings, and he drew a lot of the jungle,” Emma said.
Emma did such an amazing job on the mural you would think that she probably did other projects.
“No. This is my first mural. I take art in school, but it is nothing as major as this,” Emma said.
“I definitely want to focus on art in college, but I also like writing. I would want to major in writing and minor in art,” Emma answered when asked if she would pursue a career in art.
On Tuesday, it was teacher volunteer day, so several teachers from Mendham High School were helping to paint. “I work here at Schiff as a trustee,” said Schiff worker and Mendham High School teacher Bruce Taterka. “I am also Emma’s environmental science teacher.”
Student volunteers from Emma’s school were on site with a paintbrush in hand painting the mural, too.
“I am in an art program in school, and I wanted to do more volunteer work,” Emma’s classmate Sopia Kapur said about why she came to paint. “Mr. Douglas [one of the teachers at Mendham High School who came to paint] told my sister and I about this, and we thought this would be perfect.”
Tanya Sulikowski, executive director, took me on a tour of the center and explained what they do.
“We take the kids on hikes on the preserve and do crafts,” Tanya said. “The preserve is about 700 acres. We also have a camp for kids ages 6 to 12 and for teens.”
If you would like to learn more about the Schiff Nature Center or make a donation click here.
