During that time, 14 students from the museum's W. Charles Thompson Museum School will strut their stuff in the Ottmar Gallery for the All American Student Fashion & Jewelry Runway Show.

Promising a striking red, white and blue theme, the show is the second fashion show the museum has offered for young designers and one that Museum Executive Director Mim Fawcett says the museum is delighted to offer again.

"Our students and teachers have worked hard to conceive and produce what I consider to be "expressive, wearable art," Fawcett said.

"Dominique's Kurzawa's concept of bringing American Fashions to our runway has provided exciting and compelling design options for both our fashion and jewelry students."

The students in the show range from age 9 to 17, and have been busy conceptualizing, sketching, designing, sewing, pinning, innovating, bending, wrapping - and having a good time, according to Fawcett. Many of the students worked in Wrap Yourself in American Fashions classes with Kurzawa, who has a degree in fine arts and fashion design from Parsons School of Design in New York City.

Kurzawa praised her students for having worked hard to create the fashions they will be modeling, but says the show itself is just something different and fun to offer the young designers.

"I don't think fashion design has been covered for the younger ages, and I think the younger children are doing an amazing job creating," Kurzawa said. "They do need direction, but they understand a lot themselves. I think they read the magazines and they see what's out there, and they like to go shopping, so this is fun for them."

As with last year's show, the event will also feature a professional line of clothing, which this year has been created by Kurzawa, a native of Sweden who lives in South Attleboro.

Kurzawa's line, created through a business she calls Nunush, is described as progressive/fun/functional children's fashions and accessories.

The clothing from the line to be modeled during the show is designed for ages 2T to 8 and, based on fabrics and patterns Kurzawa recalls from the '70s era she grew up in. It's titled "When I was Little."

Some students, ages 9 to 14, have also been busy creating red, white and blue jewelry in a Wire-wrapped Jewelry Making class taught by Abby Rovaldi, who organized the 2007 High Art Show now on display at the museum.

Janette Sears can be reached by phone or fax at 508-222-2442 or by e-mail at janette@janettesears.com.