Like every artist, Annie needs her separate space in which to work. Her colleagues agree. While grateful for the space that was allocated to them, there is nothing better than to finally move into a studio that is designed and designated just for this thriving, small artist community.

Small actually refers to the size of each artist, with an average age of 4.

Annie, 4 1/2, describes herself as being “really excited” about moving into the art studio that is the brainchild of Caren Burgess, director of the Holy Family Children’s Center that is located at the Holy Family Episcopal Church in Half Moon Bay.

The preschool, established in 1989 by parents from the church, is accredited and just had a 20-year gala celebration last September.

Although based at Holy Family, the Children’s Center is nondenominational. The nonprofit preschool uses the Reggio-Emilia approach, a method developed in Italy that embraces respect, community and family.

As a teacher herself, Burgess said she tells the school’s teachers that the Children’s Center celebrates childhood, letting the children be children. “We let the children know what our expectations are and they can choose to follow,” she said, adding, “We’ve never had a discipline problem.”

An important element is art, said Burgess. “Art is viewed as the muse of hundreds of languages,” she said, adding that art builds ideas of the world and involves many disciplines.

Each year the Children’s Center holds an art show where the aspiring artist display and sell their artwork to interested investors, usually parents. The 2009 Art Show focused on community and the 2010 Art Show looks at Half Moon Bay habitat, with a focus on what the children think of the place where they live. The festival will be held from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday, May 27, at the Children’s Center.

Burgess first came to the Children’s Center 12 years ago as a teacher. Family circumstances required that she leave, but when the opportunity came available five years ago, she rejoined the staff as the co-director, sharing duties with Lisa Hinchelwood. A few years later, Burgess became the director.

The children love to perform and create art, she said. They have their own space to perform with a small indoor stage and outdoor stage built by parent Bryan Bodas, who donated his time. Materials were acquired through fundraising.

Still, the center didn’t have any dedicated space for artwork. With the facility in use seven days a week, any time artwork was created, the preschool had to clean everything up and put it away. “We really need a space to be nice and messy,” Burgess said.

Last year an anonymous foundation made a $5,000 grant, opening the doors to build a separate studio. With additional donations, plus donations of electrical services by Bodas and design by Kelly Roger, the studio became a reality. The prefabricated building sports low work benches accompanied with short stools designed with the little artists in mind.

A ribbon cutting was held in January, although the building is waiting final approval. Still, the studio can house the artwork that is drying or waiting to find a place on the wall for the Art Festival.

While she waits to actually use the facility, Annie looks around with her own approval. “I really like this,” she said, and she said that she has big plans. “I will be painting and making lots of stuff!”