Nolan Burgess, 5, works on 'King Bones,' an acrylic painting of his stuffed mouse in a king's outfit. His mother has a degree in art and helps him mix paints and care for his brushes. MIKE MORONES/THE FREE LANCE-STAR Visit the Photo Place

Young artist displays skills

After seeing his grandmother's art show, five-year-old decides he wants to have his own art show

Date published: 8/14/2007

By Rebecca Barnabi

Rebecca J. Barnabi

Nolan Burgess of Spotsylvania County exhibited his art for the first time on Aug. 4 at Salem Church Library.

According to his mother, Nolan has always had artistic abilities.

"He's always been my little artist, coloring in coloring books since he was 2," Cooper Burgess, 29, said. "He's always had a talent for it."

And he's only 5 years old.

A rising first-grader at Courthouse Road Elementary School, Nolan went to his grandmother Kerry Johanson's art show at Northern Virginia Community College's Alexandria campus a month ago. Afterward, he informed his mother that he wanted "to do that again."

His mother asked him if he wanted to go to the "museum" again or see grandma's art.

"Now I want to be the museum," was Nolan's reply.

The young artist has spent the summer days since creating art pieces of various media, including cut-out paper, pencil drawings, painting and Microsoft painting on the computer.

His grandmother's art show also contained a mixture of art media and digital art. Burgess said the theme of her mother's show was vision, eyes and seeing.

Nolan recognized that his show would require a theme and told his mother that he needed an idea.

"He's really bright," Burgess said. "He has quite an imagination."

Therefore, the theme of his art show is about "Bones," Nolan's favorite stuffed animal, a gray mouse. The 15 to 20 pieces in the show feature "Bones," who was a Christmas present three years ago and is about a foot tall.

The art show originally was going to take place in Ben and Cooper Burgess' living room until Nolan's grandfather insisted they see if Salem Church Library had an available spot.

Lena Gonzalez Berrios, Youth Services manager at Salem Church Library, made arrangements for the young artist's show.

"We're very excited about all artwork that children produce," Berrios said. Normally, Salem Church Library has art from local elementary, middle and high schools to display, but summer is a downtime.

"When his mom mentioned [displaying Nolan's art] to me in the library," Berrios said, "I thought it was a great idea."

Nolan's art will be on display through the month of August.

According to Berrios, Nolan has a lot of talent and a wild imagination.

"For just being 5, his work is really incredible," Berrios said.

Nolan is the second oldest of Ben and Cooper Burgess's four children. Ben, 31, is an employee in the advertising department at Kaeser Compressors in Fredericksburg, and Cooper is a stay-at-home mom.

Cooper Burgess believes Nolan will continue to have an interest in art.

"He's really had a lot of fun with it," Cooper Burgess said.

Rebecca Barnabi: 540/374-5400
Email: rbarnabi@freelancestar.com

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Date published: 8/14/2007