CAMDEN — What is your favorite animal? The tame, wild or wooly? Something real or imaginary? These are the questions Page Gallery is inviting children to consider in their call for art to adorn the gallery's walls this winter. The exhibition opened on February 1 and will be on display through February 28.

The gallery is offering free postcards at 23 Bay View Street in Camden and is distributing them through art programs in local schools with a prompt for children of all ages to create a piece of art depicting the animals they love best. Finished postcards can be dropped off or mailed to the gallery for installation in this special Youth Art Exhibition. Gallery visitors will be invited to participate in creative activities stationed throughout the exhibition including, on site community painting that borrows shapes and ideas from Matisse's paintings and cut outs, a weaving project on a loom and paper cutting activities. Puppet making supplies will be available and visitors are encouraged to put on plays in the gallery's puppet theater.

Nine local youths will be collaborating on a mural after Dahlov Ipcar's painting from her book Bright Barnyard.

“Known for her colorful, kaleidoscopic paintings and children's book illustrations, Dahlov Ipcar (1917-2017) is one of Maine's most acclaimed artists,” said Page Gallery, in a news release.

Her work can be seen in the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Whitney Museum of American Art and at the Farnsworth Art Museum, among others.

A family friendly gallery, it is not unusual to see the children of Page Gallery creating sidewalk chalk murals, making lemonade for openings or drawing at the desk after school, according to the release.

"This is one of my favorite shows of the year," says owner Colin Page. "Showcasing the creativity of the children in our community gives us a glimpse into what they care about. We hope it will inspire a love of art for years to come."

In collaboration with the Camden Public Library, the gallery will host two special events during the exhibition. The children's librarian, Miss Amy, will convene a special Saturday story time in the gallery on February 18, from 1 - 2 p.m., and will host a crafting session with Creative Art Afternoon kids in the gallery on Thursday, Feb. 23, from 4 - 5 p.m. These programs are free and open to the public.

While the youth art is not for sale, original paintings by other gallery artists will be on display.