BOUNTIFUL -- On the outside, they appear to be only a stack of similar-looking boxes taking up space in the closets and storage rooms of the Bountiful Davis Art Center (BDAC). Open the lids, however, and almost a dozen miniature art galleries await, offering up fine art selections and lesson plans that explore everything from watercolor and oil painting to computer art. They're the BDAC's traveling art exhibits, just waiting for their next chance to shine at a local classroom or school. "It's a very accessible way for children and young adults to view art," said BDAC Director Emma Dugal. Though the exhibits are mostly checked out through schools, Dugal said that the art center would welcome interest from other groups who might be interested. "Rather than having to go through the expense of having to transport an entire classroom to the gallery, we bring the gallery to them."

The BDAC first came up with the idea for the traveling exhibits more than 20 years ago, and from that point on has been updated every few years by the BDAC educational director to reflect current knowledge and examples of the specified art form.

"We did a major revamping a few years ago, especially to the computer art exhibit," said Dugal. The computer art exhibit, the newest of the BDAC exhibits, was added to the collection only a few years before the revamping.

Currently, the art center features a collection of nine exhibits, each covering a different area of art: oils, watercolor (both featuring Davis County artists), Utah artist Frank R. Huff, photography, Utah artist LeConte Stewart, computer art, portraits, Summerfest gifts from around the world, and western artist Everett Ruess.

Each exhibit features five or six works of art that illustrate the chosen concept, biographical information on the highlighted artist, and a detailed lesson plan that explains the artistic medium or techniques used to create the art and guides teachers through ways to help the students make art of their own.

In Everett Ruess exhibit, for example, students are able to experiment with several of the artist's printmaking techniques. Later, a biography offers details about the artist's short, adventurous life, which ended when he went into the Utah desert in 1934 and disappeared without a trace.

Though the BDAC is currently focusing most of their efforts on making sure the current exhibits get more circulation, Dugal said that they would be willing to entertain the possibility of expanding their educational horizons.

"We're short staffed and very busy, so taking on another project would be a challenge," she said. "But we would take it on if we found good material to work with."