Review

"The King," Acrylic on Canvas.

Anna Geilman
EyeCandy4Kids

8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Shirley Stiles Gallery
Westwood City Hall
4700 Rainbow Blvd.
Westwood, KS
913.362.1550

Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday
Runs through: March 31

Artist’s site: http://eyecandy4kids.blogspot.com
Gallery site: http://www.westwoodks.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={43A74ACE-3B22-43ED-B836-E380A5FE1BA2}

Okay, so there are no Hula Hoops involved in Anna Geilman's exhibition of paintings at the Shirley Stiles Gallery in Westwood City Hall.

But this is very much a show of children's art ... not by kids, but for them.

(In keeping with that theme, there will be a milk and cookies reception from 3-5 p.m. on March 20 at the gallery. Yes, grown-ups get milk and cookies too.)

Geilman, who illustrates children's books in addition to creating  her line of EyeCandy4Kids acrylic paintings and custom murals, describes herself as a mother of of two who believes that art for kids should be as fun and unique as they are.

That outlook might sound sunny, but it was born of frustration.

 I hold no degrees in art.  i got my start out of necessity, Geilman writes. I was a young mom who could not find art that i wanted to look at for the next 10 years.  I thought much of what was available was pretty campy or just plain boring.  I started painting things for my children and then for friends and then things just kind of took off. 

Her Westwood show is definitely high on the fun factor. As The King (today's featured image) ably demonstrates, Geilman's paintings are bright, bold, clean-lined colorful ... and, she stresses, not for framing.

Her reason for that is just a tiny bit subversive — which, of course, simply adds to the fun for her target viewing demographic.

I paint on deep edge canvases so that the painting can be viewed from all angles, Geilman writes. Children love to look up and see something hidden underneath that their parents didn't notice.

But just because Geilman's art is designed and created with kids in mind doesn't make it less valid as art. She might describe her work as "eye candy," but its sweetness (while pronounced) is never cloying.

Big kids — the ones who are big enough to drive and vote and work long hours to make ends meet — can appreciate Geilman's style and techniques and also have pure, gut-level fun with her creations.

And after all, who couldn't do with a shot of straight-up joy from time to time?

(Chased, of course, with milk and cookies ...)

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