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Arts in the Schools coordinator Nancy Bauman walked around a first grade classroom at Bell Elementary, daubing bits of paint on pieces of paper the artist's palette.

"Red, yellow and blue are primary colors," Margaret Lee told the first graders who were gathered in a circle around her. "What is so special about those colors?"

Hands shot up and students shouted out that primary colors can be combined to make pink or lavender or green.

They were about to put their artistic knowledge to use when painting a design on a bit of canvas. The design is inspired by kente cloth, an African design, and each bit of canvas would be combined with those of their classmates to make a banner. Each class's banner will be displayed in the hallway at the school so parents can see them when they attend parent-teacher conferences.

The arts projects are something of a tradition at Bell School. Over the years, children have become well-versed in artistic techniques and different styles of art. Last year the students created art out of old shoes.

Lee and Bauman decided on a kente cloth-inspired design, one that would have no representational figures.

That was hard for some of the younger kids to understand, said Kari Lysne, who heard a few plaintive comments like "Can't I put a puppy dog in it?"

Lee explained that the designs don't always have to look exactly like the example she showed the children, but they could be similar to the wavy lines alternating with dots.

"Q-tips are a great way to get a circle," Lee told the youngsters, demonstrated how they could dip the cotton tips into the paint and make perfect dots.

Soon the first graders were bent over the canvas, creating African-inspired designs.

The banners will hang for a couple of weeks at the school.