Local art exhibit
paints students in a positive light
By Scott Mitchell Johnson
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — In celebration of National Youth Art Month, the fourth annual Essence of the North student art exhibit is now on display at the Aroostook Centre Mall in Presque Isle.
Sponsored by the Northern pARTners Aroostook County regional art educators, this year’s exhibit features selected art pieces from students in grades pre-K-12.
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
ANNIKA REYNOLDS, a third-grader at Fort Fairfield Elementary School, proudly poses next to the creative art piece she has on display at the Aroostook Centre Mall as part of the Essence of the North student art exhibit.
“I like how everybody is looking at all the art pieces … including mine,” said Annika Reynolds, a third-grader at Fort Fairfield Elementary School. “It makes me feel creative.
“I really like art; it’s one of my favorite subjects and I like to draw at home,” she said. “I’m glad I was chosen to be part of the art show.”
Nearly 350 art pieces from students in Caribou, Limestone, Connor, Easton, Fort Fairfield, St. Agatha, Hodgdon, Houlton, Mars Hill, Presque Isle, Mapleton, Ashland and Washburn are on display.
Beth Ann Walker, K-8 visual arts teacher in Washburn, said the exhibit is an exciting time not only for the students, but for the teachers, as well.
“It’s very exciting to see all the art teachers gathered. We’re kind of spread far and wide and we don’t have an opportunity to collaborate very often,” she said. “For my students it’s exciting because they get to come to a public place and see their work hanging on a wall where many people will be able to view it.
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
FANCY MITTENS — Raegyn Chavez, a third-grader at the David J. Lyon Washburn District Elementary School, points to the line textured mittens she created with markers to members of her family, from left: father, Rodney; sister, Sydney; and mother, Shelley, during the March 12 opening reception of the Essence of the North student art exhibit that is on display through April 1 at the Aroostook Centre Mall.
“In our building, the students see visual arts as a very important facet of their education, but this exhibit shows them that visual arts is important in other schools, too, and that many people see it as a valid and important subject,” said Walker. “This show helps the public see how important the visual arts are for children. Unfortunately visual arts is often a place that is first to be cut, so for us, this show helps us put our programs in an important place.”
Rather than have selected students choose a favorite piece of art, Walker chose the work for them.
“I try to find a variety of things that stand out in a particular project. Sometimes it’s two pieces from a project. Sometimes it’s a child that may not necessarily exhibit great artistic ability, but they just nailed something in class,” she said. “They may need some bolstering up, and this exhibit is a great way to make somebody feel important.”
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
COLLEEN WOODTKE, a first-grader at Easton Elementary School, shows her mother, Carrie Lentz, the self-portrait she drew that is part of the fourth annual Essence of the North student art exhibit at the Aroostook Centre Mall.
Emma Bonner, an eighth-grader at Easton Junior-Senior High School, has a rose window on display.
“It’s sort of a circle with lots of different shapes that look like pizza slices. Then you have to draw out your name or nickname in the different shapes. It probably took about three class periods to do. It’s kind of nice to know that other people get to see it [my artwork], but it’s also kind of strange because you don’t know what they’ll think about it.”
Argy Nestor, visual and performing arts specialist at the Maine Department of Education, was on hand for the March 12 opening reception.
“I’m here because I travel as much as I can to support arts teachers — music, dance, theater and visual arts — throughout the state,” she said. “The arts teachers in Aroostook County do a fabulous job, so I like to come up here to let them know how much I appreciate the work that they do every day with kids.”
Nestor said she was impressed by the students’ work.
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
SAM BEAULIEU, a fourth-grader at Zippel Elementary School, shows his mother, Kelli, the deer collage he made that is on display at the fourth annual Essence of the North student art exhibit at the Aroostook Centre Mall. Sponsored by the Northern pARTners Aroostook County regional art educators, this year’s exhibit features selected art pieces from students in grades pre-K-12. The show runs through April 1.
“It’s fabulous, and the number of people that came out to support the event obviously care deeply about their kids and their art education programs,” she said. “I think anyone who sees this exhibit realizes the opportunity that their children have and that art is essential to every kid’s total development and without this opportunity, young people would be losing out in their development to become citizens that are contributing to society in a creative, imaginative way. Art classes provide those opportunities for children to develop their creativity and imagination.”
The exhibit at the mall runs through April 1.
