Garden inspires show

More than 100 works by preschool artists and inspired by close encounters with the Dunedin Botanic Garden will go on public display next week.

Dunedin teacher and visual artist Rod Eales has organised the "Garden of Wonders" exhibition.

This is being hosted by the University of Otago College of Education at its auditorium/registry complex ground floor foyer in Union St.

“I love teaching in early childhood education because of the utter joy in connecting with this end of humanity — uplifting, enlightening, rich and altogether crazy,” Ms Eales has said.

Dunedin teacher and visual artist Rod Eales and preschooler Mackenzie Murdoch (4). PHOTO: PETER...
Dunedin teacher and visual artist Rod Eales and preschooler Mackenzie Murdoch (4). PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSH

She shares her time between creating her own visual art work and teaching, including at Early Childhood on Stafford.

The art exhibition consists of drawings and paintings by children and staff at the Stafford St early childhood facility and will run from Monday for at least two weeks.

The subject was the "Garden", and had been inspired by trips to the Dunedin Botanic Garden, and many other experiences centred around "flora, fauna and man-made garden features", she said.

The exhibition was initially to have been shown at the information centre at the botanic garden, but this had to be abandoned because of the Covid-19 lockdown, she said.

"Art in early childhood is often overlooked and yet it is here that we can observe and encourage the early signs and development of artistic,creative thinking", she said.

"Showing it at college is perhaps just as fitting as students are able to have a glimpse of what is possible when thinking about an art programme in the ‘real’ early childhood world.

"It’s good to have children’s work out on a public platform.

"People often don’t realise what’s possible."

john.gibb@odt.co.nz

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