Clippard second-grader has artwork, ‘Crazy Chicken on the Crazy Farm,’ selected for exhibit at State Capitol

Children beautify refrigerators and kitchens on a regular basis with colorful artwork for family and friends.

Michael Snider is pictured with his father, Christopher, his mother, Lauren, Clippard Elementary art teacher Kim Holman and Missouri state Sen. Wayne Wallingford at the State Capitol in Jefferson City, Missouri.Submitted photo

Seven-year-old Michael Snider, a second-grader at Clippard Elementary in Cape Girardeau, is no exception.

However, one of Michael's works has found an even bigger audience. A copy of his colorful creation "Crazy Chicken on the Crazy Farm" hangs in a hallway of the State Capitol in Jefferson City, Missouri.

The mix of watercolors, crayon and construction paper represent District 27, chosen by state Sen. Wayne Wallingford, and is one of 34 district winners in the Senate Art Exhibit.

Michael Snider poses with a medal and his art Monday in Cape Girardeau.Ben Matthews

Michael produced it over a period of about "three or four weeks" in the art class of teacher Kim Holman, who assigned her Thursday morning students to create pictures based on the children's book "The Chicken Chasing Queen of Lamar County."

While he said he liked his finished work when he handed it in, Michael didn't anticipate the accolades.

"I didn't know I was going to get an award for it or have it hung up in the Capitol," he said.

And he didn't know he'd get a medal, which he received when he was accompanied by his younger brother Matthew, parents -- Lauren and Christopher -- grandparents and Holman to Jefferson City for a Senate ceremony March 16.

"He likes to draw, create and build, and he's always been very good at that," Lauren Snider said. "He's always had an eye for that. We didn't even know his teacher submitted his artwork, initially. And then she told us she had done that, and then a few weeks later she told us that he had won for our district. It was kind of news to us. We didn't know what kind of art it was."

Art hangs on display in the Snider house Monday in Cape Girardeau.Ben Matthews

Michael used a pallet of water colors on a chicken, which is in the forefront of a farm scene.

"I wanted it to be colorful," Michael said.

He then colored two rainbows, clouds and a bird, and cut a blue sky, sun, grass, fence and several farm items -- silo, barn and truck -- out of construction paper.

"I tried not to leave any white," Michael said.

It all turned into a winning entry for a student who said art is among his favorite subjects along with "gym" and "computer lab."

Michael Snider plays with his brother Monday at their home in Cape Girardeau.Ben Matthews

The competition was open for students in kindergarten through 12th grade, and he was just one of two second-graders in the state to have their pictures selected to hang in the hallway that leads to the legislators' cars.

It's one sure thing the state senators will pass each day.

"They said that the reason they put it in the hallway from the parking garage is because they wanted it to be the first thing the senators see every day and the last thing they see every day, so they remember art," Christopher Snider said.

The copy of the artwork will reside at the Capitol for a year.

Framed on a wall, his original version of his winning entry is getting better play than most of his other works at home. His other masterpieces have limited shelf life in the kitchen.

"He brings it home and we'll keep it up until we get something new to replace it, so we kind of try to keep an even mix of Michael's art and Matthew's art, and then I file it all away," Lauren said.

Ben Matthews

In addition to his medal and being made an honorary page for a day, his other highlights included a stay in a hotel and ice cream. However, the two-day break from school came at somewhat of a price: He missed his Thursday art class.

"It was a lot of fun," Lauren said. "And really none of us had ever been to Jefferson City and the Capitol. It was great for the whole family. His grandparents went, and we all stayed up there and just really had a good time."

jbreer@semissourian.com

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