At Banfill-Locke, a wellspring of young art

In describing the inspiration for his most recent masterpiece, "Kane Hoff and the Temple of Doughnuts," artist Harrison Blum explained that he was "in a period of wanting doughnuts." Also on his mind was Indiana Jones.

Blum is a fourth-grader at R.L. Stevenson Elementary School in Fridley, and his drawing is one of 500 pieces in an exhibit called KidsDoArt! at the Banfill-Locke Center for the Arts in Fridley. It runs through March 5.

The imaginative picture Blum colored with bold markers shows a solitary stick figure surrounded by cobwebs, spiders, boxes and doughnuts, including some that are magical, he said. Blum named the piece in part after his friend Kane, who sat next to him while he worked on it at school. "I worked really hard on it, and I'm proud of it," he said recently.

Every year, Banfill-Locke opens its doors to art from elementary and middle schools from all over the Anoka-Hennepin School District, said Banfill-Locke executive director Lia Rivamonte. "We ask that they send their best student work," she said.

The student works fill the walls of the former inn from floor to ceiling.

The exhibit attracts hundreds of visitors, Rivamonte said. "It's amazing how many people come from miles around to see their kids' work," she said, adding that even in subzero temperatures, "everyone is in a good mood."

KidsDoArt! is a chance for students to show off their work outside of school or the refrigerator door, in a real gallery, Rivamonte said.

Everything from big, abstract paintings, which the kindergartners especially excel at, she said, to "delicate, well-observed drawings" can be found on the walls.

Among her favorite pieces are the contour line drawings of tennis shoes and a bunch of life-sized self-portraits, some of which are posed with a pet, football or stuffed animal. Others imitate the style of famous artists like Vincent Van Gogh and Frida Kahlo.

One child whose work depicted a role model has a brief artist statement that reads: "I admire my sister Emma because she's good at learning the capitals. I could be more like her by learning the capitals."

Developing children's creativity is the main reason to keep doing the show, Rivamonte said. Although not everyone is going to go on to become an artist, she said, "They learn to appreciate it and what it takes.

"Hopefully their creativity in art will help them in whatever direction they do take."