Young artists showcased in ‘Holiday Joy’ MIGUELJUAREZ staff Evelyn Leavens tells Aiden Arden, 14, not to be shy with color on his watercolor painting during art class recently. At left, his brother, Louis, 12, works on a drawing. Colleagues at the Guild of Creative Art in Shrewsbury approached Evelyn Leavens to put together a show for the holiday season anticipating a sugarplum. They weren’t disappointed. “We asked her to treat us all to a holiday delight and she did, indeed,” said artist Judy Stach. “It’s the holidays and we wanted to do something special and what are the holidays without children?” “She has touched the lives of so many local artists,” said Stach. “She has taught just about everyone’s child at some point. This is showing off her students’ work.” “Holiday Joy” is a show of works by young students, some as young as 6, of the revered local artist and teacher. There are 46 pieces in the show including pastels, watercolors, pen and ink, and drawings. Prizes were awarded in three age categories: 6-8 years, 11-13 and 15 to 19. “Ivan,” pastel, by Catie Torsivia, 16 “It was interesting at the opening,” Stach observed. “There were two generations of her students.” Members are exhibiting small works for the season in a concurrent show and sale, “Give a Gift of ART,” at the guild, 620 Broad St., where hours are Monday – Saturday, noon to 4:30 p.m. The exhibits run through Jan. 3. For information, visit www.guildofcreativeart. com. A self-taught artist, Leavens, Red Bank, has been teaching art for more than four decades, for the last 35 years exclusively to children. “It’s easier,” she explained this week. “I think a lot of adults have preconceived ideas, as I would too. Children come in with an open mind and they’re very happy to take my advice and to learn. I enjoy the children and their progress. I’ve had children stick with me until college. I have students from many years. They stay in touch, call me, write me, send invitations to galleries. I have made some lifelong friends.” At 82, Leavens is now teaching the children of former students. “Fish,” watercolor, by Nick Ericson, 12 “I taught a young man and a young woman, who, when they were very young, took my class. They married and had a daughter, and now the daughter comes every Thursday and the father does too. He stretches canvas while she takes a lesson. I’ve taught the second generation; that’s why I love it.” Leavens teaches groups of up to a dozen youngsters as young as 5. “Each day, they do something different and everybody is doing their own thing,” she said. “One is doing pastel, one might be doing still life, somebody doing crayon resist, crayon etching. I’m at everybody’s side. I go from one to the other to check it out or they’ll call me over.” While nurturing her young students’ creativity, Leavens lays a solid foundation of technique. “They learn the necessary things, the basic elements of design, anatomy, perspective, the color wheel, how to read colors, how to mix. I teach all the fundamentals,” she said. “They have to learn all the skills. They work hard and they learn a lot. Then they can depart from there. “Sometimes they’ll say, ‘I’m terrible at watercolor.’ I’ll say, ‘Good, that’s what we’re going to learn. What you can’t do is what you have to learn.’ ” Her ultimate goal? “I would say the most important thing would be to keep their love of art alive and to stimulate it and develop it and take it where it wants to go.” Leavens is quick to point out that teaching involves an exchange. “I learn a lot from the children, and in turn they learn a lot from me,” she said. “They teach me all kinds of fresh ideas. I love the creativity. “I love child art. I like that it’s rewarding to form, to help, to have a part in their future and their development as artists. “They’re all surprises. Every day there’s a pleasant breakthrough, a surprise — it’s an ongoing experience. “I started teaching because I needed a job,” she said. “Then it became just something I love to do.” — Gloria Stravelli