What is Sweet Tree Arts?
The following post was contributed by Lindsay Pinchbeck who I met about a year ago. I had the privilege of visiting with her at Sweet Tree Arts. It is a warm and welcoming space and Lindsay is a DELIGHT! I look forward to visiting another day when there are learners making magic as I imagine so easily taking place in the space.
Sweet Tree Arts logo:
Roots in the Community,
Branches to the Wider World.
Encouraging Creativity and Connecting Community through the Arts.
Sweet Tree Arts is a community arts organization in Hope, Maine. Our mission is to educate, enrich and connect communities through the arts. Although are roots are based in Hope, working with our immediate rural community our branches reach nationally and globally bringing fresh voices and views through the arts to our community.
Opened in February 2013 Sweet Tree Arts is a place that encourages creative thinking, play and experimentation. We currently provide arts programming for preschool, elementary, middle school and high school students, visiting artists inspire adults at all ability levels and adults with special needs visit weekly. We offer drawing, printmaking, painting, drama, music, marital arts, storytelling, film, photography, quilting and sewing and expressive arts therapy. We also offer a low residency Masters in Education Integrating the arts across the curriculum through Lesley University.
When I envisioned an arts center in Hope I saw a place that welcomed all out of the love of creating and creative living, a place where professional artists and amateurs could learn and work together. Hope is a unique hamlet with a small general store, a black smith, cobbler, bagpipe maker, and two retired circus elephants, so an art center fits in nicely in this eccentric village. Sweet Tree Arts work hard to respond to the needs and concerns of children, families, teachers, and members of our community. This is less about art making initially and more about responding creatively to community needs and suggesting creative solutions.
After almost a year working here I have thought again and again about the power of this SPACE in which we – my husband Chris Pinchbeck and I have created. How different ages move through the space or respond to different materials and personalities.
The movement through the space comes with emotion and power: For example a 3rd grader arrives off the bus after school hanging her head, tears held back, she takes a breath grabs a snack and dives into her mural project with fresh and welcoming faces. A middle school boy says each day he wakes up and hopes it’s a Sweet Tree day, because he can be himself in this space. A mother with 3 kids , has a cup of tea in the kitchen and finds a moment to sneak in a bit of creativity in her own day. An adult with special needs is wheeled over the threshold by his caregiver and handed a camera to show us the way he sees his world. I have learned over this past year, providing the space to take risks and try new things is at the heart of original thinking and creative possibilities. My role is less about offering art skills and materials although these are tools we foster and more about being ready for each person walking through the door. My goal is to provide the opportunity for individuals to grow through the creative process. We all have stories, we all have challenges and in our search for connection we can use the arts to respond, reflect and grow.
As the founder of the program I continue to consider how the act of creating a space for people to gather and connect is of great importance in a rural community. How the arts acts as a vehicle for us to connect and share ideas and I continue to marvel at the need to share story which is a part of us all.
The video located at http://vimeo.com/79822313 was created by a high school film maker Alex Forcillo. I was fortunate to meet Alex when he was six years old and pass him his first single lens reflex camera. Now a high school sophomore I am thrilled to reconnect and be a part of his creative process.
I believe the arts provides opportunities to connect and reconnect, experiment and play. I think it is of great importance we provide a safe place where children and adults can be free to try new things, try on new roles, speak their minds and grow and learn with their, hearts, minds and bodies. As Sir Ken Robinson and Einstein so beautifully said: “if you aren’t wiling to make a mistake you will never create anything new.”
You can follow what’s happening at Sweet Tree Arts by going to their blog at http://sweettreearts.wordpress.com/.
me arts ed 