成人大片Preschoolers exhibit creativity at MOCA
More than 200 guests gathered at the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville (MOCA) this spring to celebrate an exhibition of artwork created by students from the 成人大片 Preschool. The exhibit, featuring children ages two-and-a-half to five, highlighted the creativity, curiosity, and expressive abilities of young learners.
The exhibition was curated by Dr. Georgina David, Director of the 成人大片Preschool, and Sarah Crooks, the school's aterlierista, or studio art teacher. It reflected a full year of exploration and collaboration rooted in the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education. This philosophy recognizes the "hundred languages of children," encouraging young students to express their ideas through a variety of forms, including visual art, movement, storytelling, and play.
Dr. David emphasized the importance of giving children a platform to share their thinking and creativity with the larger community. "The art exhibition provides a public space to make visible the children's thinking, connections, and knowledge," she said. "My hope is that the larger community recognizes the importance of childhood and the incredible capabilities of preschoolers."
Rather than showcasing pre-designed crafts or adult-led projects, the exhibit focused on open-ended, child-driven work across multiple media. The children explored self-portraits, sculpture, mark-making, and mixed-media storytelling, often inspired by nature, personal questions, or observations from daily life.
Crooks described the role of materials as a kind of language. “Each material and process has its own language,” she explained. “Color mixing becomes an exploration of light and dark, proportion, and emotion. We introduce materials with care, but allow the children’s ideas to lead.”
Some pieces evolved from long-term investigations, such as the pursuit of the “perfect purple” or anatomical studies of the human body. Others came from spontaneous play and experimentation. Crooks noted that open-ended materials encourage a wide variety of responses and often lead to more questions than answers, which she described as a vital part of the creative process.
For many of the children, seeing their work displayed in a professional gallery created a powerful sense of pride and agency. “It was so special to watch the children arrive at the exhibit,” said Dr. David. “They hugged each other, searched for their pieces, and lit up with joy. It was clear they felt honored.”
Crooks observed how seriously the children took the occasion. Many dressed up in their finest clothes, wearing suits, dresses, and “special outfits” for the opening night. Beyond the celebration, the exhibit also challenged common assumptions about what young children are capable of expressing.
“As a culture, we still often operate with the ‘seen and not heard’ mindset when it comes to children,” Crooks said. “But when we spotlight their creative minds, when we show that they are dynamic, independent thinkers, it becomes a matter of equity and human rights.”
The event brought together families, faculty, and early childhood advocates in a shared celebration of young learners and their expressive power. Dr. David described it as a meaningful affirmation of the value of early childhood education. “With so many stakeholders attending the show, it was a powerful acknowledgment of the importance of early childhood education,” she said. “Events like this deepen our shared understanding of what children are capable of when they’re truly listened to and supported.”
Guests were also invited to participate in hands-on artmaking through a mini-Matisse collage station, which allowed both adults and children to join in the creative experience.
Crooks and Dr. David encouraged other educators to consider showcasing student work publicly, both to celebrate children and to broaden the public’s view of childhood itself. They advised educators to document creative processes throughout the year, include student reflections and quotes, and prioritize open-ended projects over guided crafts. They also stressed the importance of involving families in displaying the work with care and intention.
Given the positive response, the 成人大片Preschool hopes to make the exhibition an annual event at MOCA. “It was a perfect venue,” said Dr. David. “They were incredibly pleased with the quality of the exhibition, and we would love to return.”
When asked to describe the spirit of the exhibit in three words, Dr. David chose joyful, creative, and insightful. Crooks described it as determined, joyful, and diverse. Together, their reflections and the children’s work created a gallery experience that invited viewers to see young children not just as learners, but as artists, thinkers, and full participants in the cultural life of the community.
