Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE – Squiggles and scribbles, lines and designs.
Armed with pieces of blue, orange, red, yellow, green, purple and white chalk, children left their mark last Saturday at the official unveiling of a 20-foot Doodle Wall housed at the Wintergreen Arts Center’s Children’s Art Studio.
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
THREE-YEAR-OLD Lily Hanks of Presque Isle was all smiles as she and her father, Dan, were among those who “christened” the new Doodle Wall Saturday at the Wintergreen Arts Center’s Children’s Art Studio. The Doodle Wall consists of 20 slate chalkboard panels and other materials recycled from Cunningham Middle School.
In late August, volunteers from Lowe’s used 20 slate chalkboard panels and other materials salvaged from Cunningham Middle School to construct the Doodle Wall.
“We needed a way to divide the space between the children’s studio, and where the teens and adults work,” said Lara Cannon, president of the Wintergreen Arts Center, which is located at the Aroostook Centre Mall. “We had made a makeshift paper wall, and then got to thinking, wouldn’t it be fun to have a wall they could color on.
“We had the chalkboard panels which are three-eighths inch thick, and are really nice,” she said. “What better way to use the materials we had gotten from the school.”
Cannon went to the former store manager at Lowe’s to see if the company could assist the arts center in any way.
“He wrote a letter to the corporate office which awarded us a $1,200 ‘Heroes in Our Community’ grant,” she said. “We received $1,200 worth of materials to transform the slate panels into a three-dimensional work of art.
“In addition to that,” said Cannon, “Lowe’s said they would supply the labor. They were just awesome.”
Lowe’s employees not only did the construction and finishing work, but a lot of the prep work, too. The initial blueprint of the wooden structure was designed by Northeast Camps.
Half doors retrieved from the trophy case of the former middle school lead children into the play area, which is completely lined with chalkboard panels. A few chalkboards, as well as corkboard, cover the exterior of the wall.
Cannon said she’s thrilled with the finished product, and believes the children in the community will enjoy expressing themselves on the wall.
“It’s nice to have everyone come, and the kids are enjoying it,” she said. “They’ve been doodling quite a bit. We’ve got some pretty drawings up.”
Officials estimated “a good 80 hours of donated time” have been put into the Doodle Wall.
“I’m so impressed with the community … that they’re so willing to come in and give of their time,” said Cannon. “I didn’t have to twist any arms. People who aren’t necessarily artistic or aren’t taking any classes just want to help. The volunteering is a nice, social experience. I’ve met so many people through this process.”
In addition to the Lowe’s employees, Donna Howes, along with Jake Buob, spent 10 hours tufting a cushioned panel that pads the wall’s “mouse hole.”
“I had done the tufting wrong and was ripping it off the wall and Donna called out of the blue and said, ‘I’d like to teach a class on tufting,’” said Cannon. “I said, ‘Where are you?’ and she said she was outside our gate. She walked in and spent 10 hours working on it.
“It’s a nice decoration,” she said, “and the kids really like the ‘mouse hole.’ The smaller kids can actually go through it.”
Jean Hamlin of Presque Isle praised the Wintergreen Arts Center for recycling some of Cunningham Middle School.
“My four children attended Cunningham,” she said. “It’s fantastic that some of the school is still being used today. I think it means an awful lot to the whole community to see things get recycled that way.
“It’s so innovative how they created the Doodle Wall,” said Hamlin, noting that her grandchildren have taken classes at the Wintergreen Arts Center. “I’m sure the children in the community will enjoy this immensely.”
The Children’s Art Studio is geared toward children ages 18 months to 12 years old. Fall classes at the Children’s Art Studio include Little Artists, Musical Munchkins I and II, Squiggles: Color, Squiggles: Shapes, Children’s Art Exploration, and Totally Twisted Tessellation I and II.
The Wintergreen Arts Center was established in 2006. Its mission is to provide an atmosphere rich in the creative arts for the residents of and visitors to Aroostook County. For more information, visit www.wintergreenarts.org or contact Lara Cannon at 207-551-0936.
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
AMANDA PALMER, 10, of Presque Isle draws a flower on one of the slate chalkboard panels at the Children’s Art Studio’s Doodle Wall that was formally unveiled last Saturday. Twenty slate chalkboard panels and other materials salvaged from Cunningham Middle School were used to construct the Doodle Wall.
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
FOUR-YEAR-OLD Cameron LeVasseur of Mapleton leaves his mark on the new Doodle Wall at the Wintergreen Arts Center’s Children’s Art Studio.
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
THIS 20-FOOT DOODLE WALL, housed at the Wintergreen Arts Center’s Children’s Art Studio, was unveiled last Saturday. Half doors retrieved from the trophy case of the former Cunningham Middle School lead children into the play area, which is completely lined with chalkboard panels, also salvaged from the school. A few chalkboards, as well as corkboard, cover the exterior of the wall, as well. The structure was built by Lowe’s employees who donated their time and $1,200 in materials.
