WORKS HEARTS

How do I color thee? Let me count the ways …

The almost 400 local kids who entered this year’s Spokesman-Review Valentine’s Day Coloring Contest came up with a creative variety of methods for decorating their designated hearts.

When the dust (and glitter) had settled, nine approaches particularly impressed our panel of newsroom judges.

In the 4-and-under age group, 4-year-old Lucy Jackson of Spokane scored big with her bold, balanced color mix and modernistic style.

A pair of fellow 4-year-olds also stood out: Will Tollett of St. John for his nontraditional color palette (St. Paddy’s, perhaps?) and restrained use of glitter, and Jamie McMurtery of Spokane Valley for her springlike pastel approach (hurry, Easter).

Among the 5- to 7-year-olds, Nine Mile Falls 6-year-old Tryston Schmitt was a hit with his semi-edible entry, featuring a rice border and decorative Red Hots.

The textured crayon-over-embossed-paper of Chattaroy 7-year-old Katie Kemink’s presentation popped out in near 3-D, with bonus points for the addition of an arrow. And Spokane 7-year-old McKenna Feyh’s heart was in the right place with a global peace-and-love theme (recycling symbol included).

After all that, the pressure was on the 8- to 12-year-olds, and they didn’t disappoint.

Eleven-year-old Michaela Rubin of Spokane kept it classy and classic with her “heart of gold” motif (is that Neil Young we hear?), while 9-year-old Sydney Zeiler of Davenport struck a nostalgic chord with some psychedelic ’60s-style tie-dye (hello, Jerry Garcia).

And Wilbur 12-year-old Kaitlyn Eagle capped things off with her intricate broken-but-mended heart against an eye-catchingly geometric background.

Those winners receive a gift certificate to Mobius Kids. All of the entries are on display at the children’s museum in the lower level of River Park Square, 808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd., through next Sunday.

– Rick Bonino, features editor