The “Arts Connect” Continues: Part I
October 11, 2009SOOOOOO MANY THANK YOU’S to GIVE!
Many days, while working at the Department of Education, I feel like “my hat gets blowed off”. This is a saying I first heard my father-in-law use years ago. I like it and during the last several weeks I found myself living with “my hat blowed off”. It means that I can be working along fine and something happens, and I have to go off in another direction. It is easy for me to picture myself walking along in the woods and all of a sudden the wind comes up and my hat has flown off my head and I am running after it.
Cathy Melio from Center for Maine Contemporary Art selling raffle tickets to Carol Deetjen from Boothbay, art teacher from Boothbay Region Elementary School
In order to make a conference a success it takes many, many people, organizations, and businesses! Whether my hat is on or off I can not THANK everyone involved enough. Please know that I appreciate all of you and the organizations and businesses you work for VERY MUCH!
Arts educators need and deserve to be treated special and I hope everyone who attended the conference felt that way. It could not have happened without the long hours and dedication of the folks and organizations listed below!
Conference Sponsors
- Maine Alliance for Arts Education
- Maine Arts Commission
- Maine Department of Education
- Maine Community Foundation
- Camden National Bank
- Association of Computer Technology Educators of Maine (ACTEM)
- Artist and Craftsman Supply
- Horace Mann Insurance
Door Prize Donations
- Laurie Adams
- Apple
- Arts Education Solutions
- Bangor Symphony Orchestra
- Bates Summer Dance Festival
- Berry’s
- Cathy Melio and Center for Maine Contemporary Art
- Corda Kinzie and Jenny Hartung
- Creative Sources
- Davis Publications
- Dick Blick
- Tom Block
- FableVision Learning
- Asha Fenn
- Farnsworth Art Museum
- Gail Scott
- Gelaskins
- GettingtoKnow.com
- Glogster
- Jean Feldeisen
- Lynn Shulman
- Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI)
- Maine Art Education Association (MAEA)
- Maine Music Educators Association (MMEA)
- Music & Arts
- Northern Kingdom
- Portland Ovations
- Portland Pottery
- Sam Moore-Young
- Victoria Mansion
- VSA Arts of Maine
Special Thank You’s
- Corda Kinzie, Jenny Hartung and amazing registrar Joyce Lang and Maine Support Network
- Gerry Hill, Judi Erickson and the staff at Point Lookout
- Bob McIntire
- The Planning Committee including:
- Gail Scott (Evaluator)
- Doug Clapp (Theatre and Visual Arts
- Crystal Douglas (Centerpieces)
- Elizabeth Watson (MAAE)
- Jennie Driscoll (Visual Arts)
- Michele Kaschub (Music)
- Mike Davis (Music)
- Rachel Spatz (VSA Arts)
- Cathy Melio (Raffle)
- Sam Moore-Young (Music)
- Sasha Randall (Dance)
- Shalimar Poulin (Visual Arts)
- Suzanne Goulet and Crystal Douglas (Centerpieces)
- Cathy Melio (raffle)
- Trudy Wilson (Details, details, details)
Incredible Artists
- Karen Montanaro
- Michael Trautman
- Jennifer Bourgeault
- Martin Steingesser
- Scot Cannon
- ImprovAcadia, Jennifer Shepard and Larrance Fingerhut
Workshop Presenters
- Cathy Melio “Altered Books: Fear No Art”
- Ellyn Whitten Smith & Lynn Whitten Bustard “Times Five”
- Debi Lynne Baker “Creating Art with Technology = Understanding of Art Styles”
- Jennifer Holmes “Rockin’ Your Classroom”
- Rob Westerberg “Teaching Music: Creative Ideas, Plans and Strategies that Work!”
- Erica Troy “Of Stories and Songs: Promoting Musical and Verbal Literacies in the Classroom”
- Lynn Brinckmeyer “Help! I’m “Music K-12″ and I Thought I was a Band Director” and “User Friendly Essentials for Teaching General Music”
- Erma Colvin “Dances of the Decades”
- Jeri Picture “Bringing Shakespeare’s Language to Life”
- Lisa Gilman “Art Smart: Share your Favorite Ideas”
- David Patterson “Want to Blog?”
- Michael Trautman “Physical Character and Physical Comedy”
- Susan Potters “Community Connections: Nuts, Bolts and Freebies”
- Kathy Hartley “Making Clay Drums”
- Alan Kaschub “Filmscoring Basics”
- Sarah Sutter “Exhibit and Critique: Visual Arts and Web 2.0”
- Paul Janeczko “Say It Out Loud”
- Bethany Dunfee Pierce and Cori Modisette “Art Museum World Tour”
- Rachel Spatz “The Inclusive Visual Arts Classroom”
me arts ed 
Special Thanks To our fearless threesome, Argy Nestor Paul Faria, and Carol Trimble who are deeply committed to the arts, to arts educators, and to the vision of a wholesomely rich creative community. Without the passion and dedication the three of you bring to major “comings-together” like Arts Connect, surely the magic would be missed. Argy, thank you for your silly yet professional approach to all you do. Carol, thank you for your strong feminine presence and clarity of mind. Paul, thank you for paying attention to important details and supporting two creative and sometimes non-linear women leaders. To all members of the planning committee who shortened family time to attend meetings and make signs, who folded tiny pieces of origami paper, who arrived early to get ready for Thursday’s party, to Maine Support Network for the beautiful graphics and seamless registration process, and finally to all my art educator peers for your hugs, conversation, and smiles- those knowing looks that we all have a secret- the best job on earth!
Thank you Shalimar for your kind words and the work you did to make the conference a success!
As I recall, Shalimar was quite busy herself. Snapping pictures, making announcements and keeping Argy straight! Thanks for your contribution too!
That is right Frank… Shalimar was incredible in her contributions to the conference along with the other planning committee members representing dance, music, theatre and visual arts. We couldn’t have done it without them. Ask Shalimar about her early morning walk on Friday.