me arts ed

Until March 27th see oodles of art work at Bangor Mall

What do you get when you mix….

• 54 art teachers
• 28 – 4′ X 8′ panels
• an empty store front at the Bangor Mall
• two hours on a Sunday morning
• Youth Art Month
• University of Maine Museum of Art
• OOOOOODLES of OUTSTANDING  artwork by K-12 students
• and an organization that supports the good work art teachers do and celebrates student achievement???????????????

Art teachers Kal, Emmy, Sarah, Lori, Charlie, Stephanie, Dan

If you guessed a SPECTACULAR art exhibit that will remain in place until March 27th, you are correct! Art in the Heart set up their annual exhibit yesterday at the Bangor Mall and it is AWESOME!

Thanks to the following teachers who went above and beyond to facilitate the creation of the exhibit: Eric, Sasha, Nancy, and Helena for moving the panels. Courtney for publicity, Jenn for registration, Sarah for supplying materials, and all the members who traveled from near and far with their student work and for taking the time to put the work in place. You can see this process by clicking here, a clip from WABI TV5, and their coverage of the show. Also, thank you to University of Maine Museum of Art, Bangor Mall and the Rudnicki family for storing the display boards when not in use.

Emma, grade 8, Orono Middle School

The Arts enhance all parts of education

The mission of this website “The Right Brain Initiative” is to help readers understand the importance of developing both sides of the brain. To educate ALL young people ENTIRELY, focus needs to be made in integrating both sides of the brain in teaching and learning. When the education system provides that, students have the opportunity to be completely ready and fully educated!

From the Right Brain Initiative site:

“Brains come with two sides for a reason. They need each other. They fill in each others blanks. One is messy by plan. The other regimented. One is linear. The other bounces off walls. One reasons. The other feels. But what happens when they work together is magical. Magical enough to make kids connect, achieve, aspire, succeed. In a future that will require the full measure of all our thinking, it’s no time to leave kids half-interested, half-motivated, half-engaged, half-ready. Remember the right brain.”

Thanks Sandy for sending this.

Flowers, art, and outside time

Gotta love the hair on the middle child

Since Friday was a mandatory state shut down day it forced me to do something selfish so we headed off to Portland for the Flower Show. What a treat! I so enjoyed just being among the blooming flowers and trees and observing how the “artists” had created their displays of suggestions for the use of outdoor space. I only wish I could have heard the conversations that planned the unique aesthetic arrangements. Each display was very good but my favorite overall had a school of fish sculptures suspended from a wire above that swam down towards the center of the stone outdoor fire place. Many displays had amazing stonework with walkways, patios, trails and walls. I have embedded a picture a display that was so fun with children made out of trees and flowers.

Artist Lynne Shulman, retired art teacher, Westbrook

Visited the Maine Art Education Association art teachers exhibit at the Saco Museum. The terrific show is called Practicing What We Preach which remains until March 19th. I love the variety of work and it was great to see the large number of participants. Outstanding teachers displaying their own work! The artists included two of our recently retired educators, Trudy Wilson from USM and Lynne Shulman from Westbrook. I had seen the sculpture of Lynne’s several months ago when she had started the work so it was fun to see it complete. I have embedded a picture for you to see.

Maiden Cliff, Camden

We had a chance to hike Maiden Cliff in Camden Hills State Park, a place I hadn’t been in several years. The leaves on the trail were very dry (and slippery) for March. When we reached the summit the view of Megunticook Lake was spectacular. The sun felt warm on our faces while the pond was still frozen but graying. We could tell that the ice will be gone soon. Won’t be long now people will be paddling or fishing on the open water. We agreed that the first day of fishing season will have many ponds with open water this year. You can see another picture of the lake and read more about our adventure by clicking here.