The Alaska Zoo puts on Sketch-n-Safari program; children come to create animal art and learn from professional graphic artists.

• Author: Pilkington, Steve
• Position: Alaska This Month

Watching children express themselves artistically is a wonderful way to see what's on their minds, especially when they're not rendering their masterpieces on walls, doors or table cloths. This month, the Alaska Zoo offers a perfect opportunity for kids and their families to jump into creating art about animals, while at the same time giving them the chance to learn from local professional graphic artists.

"It got started several years ago," said Katie Larson, education director for the Alaska Zoo, of the Sketch-n-Safari program. "It always has an animal focus. We really think it's a valuable program."

Sketch-n-Safari takes place Jan. 14 from noon to 2 p.m. at the Alaska Zoo Coffee Shop, which is located near the center of the zoo and offers sandwiches, snacks, and cold or hot drinks. The art workshop is scheduled to continue monthly through April, always on the second Saturday of the month. Larson said the program is expected to extend into the summer as it has in past years.

The monthly workshops are the idea of local artists Leon Rabinovitch, of Rabinografix, and Steve Carson, who sought a way to encourage children to learn more about art and animals and to do it together as an activity with their families. Parents and adults are encouraged not only to stay but also to take part in the artwork with their children.

"They have been with the zoo for a long time; they're volunteers," Larson said of Rabinovitch and Carson. "They're incredible artists. It's a blast and they are very interactive with the audience."

Each month the type of medium used during the art workshop changes. Rabinovitch and Carson keep the gathering...