Lake County Gazette

Iker Padilla Erivez, a level 6 student and artist from Tennyson Knolls Preparatory School, recently visited the Denver Art Museum (DAM) to see the exhibit "Wild Things: The Art of Maurice Sendak. "

"It's so important for kids to have access to this," said Iker's art teacher Jennifer De Bie, who accompanied the family on their exploration of the whimsical drawings. "Kids need authentic experiences. Not just to see the pictures in a book but to see them on the wall and interact with them. That makes a huge difference. "

The visit was arranged last month with the help of DAM representative One Luv Hull after learning about Iker's award-winning artwork. His drawing had been selected by district judges to represent Westminster Public Schools at the Colorado Association of School Boards (CASB) Student Art Show.

"This drawing is amazing," wrote Hull. "The composition and details of this drawing are very well done and they have personality to them. He clearly has talent and it's great that so many are invested in cultivating his talent! "

Iker's illustration, drawn entirely in pencil, depicts five stages in the transformation of a bunny into a dinosaur.

"I thought to make the cutest thing possible and turn it into the scariest thing," explained Iker proudly. "The fourth one is my favorite--as the teeth come out, and the claws. "

These elements reminiscent of Maurice Sendak's style highlight Iker's budding artistic skills.

"An artist created this," said De Bie, emphasizing process over product. "An artist had to have concept...and be able to draw this hundreds of times."

At day’s end, Iker sat down with his sisters and mother at tables provided by DAM to draw on postcards.

"I made mistakes with shadows," he admitted about his award-winning piece. "It could be better."

De Bie reassured him: "It's all a process for kids to be inspired by...you need to be able to go back and try again...that’s how we learn."

Youth aged 18 and under receive free general admission every day thanks to DAM 's Free for Kids program aimed at making art accessible for all.