Just because they haven’t yet entered Kindergarten doesn’t mean the 4-year-olds in Donna Williams’ class don’t have a firm grasp on the work of the Masters. Matisse, Monet, Van Gogh – all in a week’s work at CCDC, Christian Childhood Development Center at Lake Highlands United Methodist Church.

Ms. Williams and her co-teacher, Dawn Gray, invited me to yesterday’s PreK Art Show, hosted as professionally as any NYC gallery. Phoebe and Olivia (shown in the photo above) were my docents, though you can see all the talented cherubs with their proud parents in my photo slideshow here.

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The study curriculum blossomed into a fundraiser for the Red Cross after tornados earlier this month left North Texans homeless and hurting. LH sirens sent the kids scrambling for cover inside the church building, then they sang songs and shared finger plays for the younger kids longer than an hour to keep the frightened children occupied.

“The kids decided to have an art show and invite guests,” Williams told me. “They wanted to do something to help.”

Phoebe and Olivia were natural tour guides (“I know everything,” Phoebe announced), and explained that Vincent Van Gogh’s Starry Night was based on a bible verse and featured a dark sky. (“That was my favorite,” chimed Tucker, “I got to use my fingers to paint it.”)

Next were paper collages, homages to Henri Matisse. Then a wall of watercolors painted while lying on their backs, ala Michelango. “He was also a sculptor,” added Olivia with pride. Then, remembering a statue of David, the two girls giggled. Colorful works with titles like “Laughing Cat”, “Dark Rainforest”, “Slimey Earthworm” and “Silly Green Moon” dotted the walls.

They were all quite enthusiastic to show me their Jackson Pollock studies, demonstrating his technique of “action painting” with gusto. When I asked if, perhaps, even the 3-year-olds could master such a thing, they were aghast.

“Oh, no,” said Lauren. “This is art.”

If you’d like to add to their Red Cross North Texas Tornado Relief Fund total, you can email Ms. Williams here. At last count, they’d raised almost $700.