Mother and Daughter Share Love of Art at Everson Museum

As the classroom empties at the Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse, one little girl sits quietly at a table, molding an animal out of blue clay.

“I really like making clay stuff like the pig that I just made," Katherine Martellock, above, said. Katherine, 7, and her mom, J.L. Bach, traveled from Cazenovia Wednesday just to visit the Everson. Bach says real art experience is good for Katherine.

“For her to see art, it’s very important. For her to see museums, for her to get ideas,” she said.

Katherine’s knowledge and passion for art is very advanced for someone her age. Not long ago, they visited the Everson to see the “Turner to Cézanne” exhibit.

“She walked up to the Monets and said, ‘Mom, I’ve already seen those before,’” Bach said.

This week, the Everson is having a weeklong program called “Take a Break” where children ages 5 to 12 can do different artistic activities including art classes and touring the museum.

Manager of Education and Community Partnerships Amy Goodall-Ayres says the program is especially beneficial for children on school break this week.

“It’s a way to get the kids involved in something while they’re not in school and keep their brains fresh and imaginative,” she said.

As Katherine starts to mold a snake out of the same blue clay, Bach sits at the table and watches. Even though this mother and daughter traveled far, their faces show their love for art was worth the distance.