PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Through the month of March local visual arts teachers and their students have collaborated on a special exhibit at Wintergreen Arts Center in honor of Youth Art Month.
Established in 1961 by the Council for Arts Education, Youth Art Month is designed to recognize the value of visual arts programs in public schools and how studying the arts contributes to skills such as problem solving, creativity, observation and communication.
Ellyn Whitten-Smith contributed this photography and painting piece, “Jonesport Roots,” to a recent exhibit at Wintergreen Arts Center featuring visual arts teachers and their students.
(Staff photo/Melissa Lizotte)
The Wintergreen exhibit features art from teachers and students in Zippel Elementary School, Presque Isle High School, Mapleton Elementary School, SAD 42 in Mars Hill, Easton High School and Ashland District School. All the teachers are part of Northern pARTners, a group of art teachers from schools throughout Aroostook County who work to promote students’ creativity through visual arts.
Susan Beaulier, visual arts teacher at Ashland District School, coordinated the exhibit and included work from students in her 4th, 6th and 7th grade classes as well as watercolor drawings of her own. She enlisted many of her fellow colleagues, including Ellyn Whitten-Smith, visual arts teacher for Presque Isle High School.
Three of Whitten-Smith’s current seniors — Mayce Kinney, Emma Bouchard and Alex Walsh — contributed artwork. She said that rather than assign the students specific forms of art to complete, she allowed them to choose their own subject matter and develop what they believed to be the appropriate medium.
“I use the term ‘creative problem’ instead of ‘project’ because I feel that ‘project’ doesn’t describe the process,” Whitten-Smith said. “If I open up lessons to student choice, I find that they’re generally more excited because their work, ideally, is something they care about.”
Walsh chose a black-and-white drawing she recently completed of her friend Keara and gave credit to Whitten-Smith for encouraging her talents.
“She is the best teacher I’ve ever had. She’s someone who truly cares and is the most kind-hearted person in the school,” Walsh said.
Wintergreen is still showcasing the Northern pARTners exhibit at their 149 State Street location throughout the end of March. On April 5, they will host the First Friday Downtown Artwork opening reception for local photographer Maeghan Swanson’s exhibit, “Austic Faces of Aroostook County,” at 6 p.m.
(Staff photos/Melissa Lizotte)
