The winter 2024 issue of the Maine Arts Journal is all about PLAY! It celebrates the 100th anniversary of the birth of Surrealism and the pieces included penned by Maine artists, writers, and educators elaborate on how vital play is to the human experience. Maine poet Betsy Sholl writes,
“(M)aging art and allowing art to make us is perhaps one of the most serious and necessary kinds of play.”
I am continuing impressed by the tent of the UMVA Maine Arts Journal. Some of you are familiar with writers who have contributed including of dear friend from days gone by at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts Stuart Kestenbaum, Gibson Fay-LeBlanc, Susan Webster, Carl Little, and Maine Art Education President Cory Bucknam. You can read Cory’s piece and all the others by CLICKING HERE. You can subscribe at no cost at THIS LINK.
Student work of Cory Bucknam, fall 2023, white earthenware and tempera
The cover design is by Charlie Hewitt, neon sculptures inside NeoKraft sign shop in Lewiston.
UMVA is an amazing organization, please consider becoming a member. The journal alone is worth the price of membership. You can join at THIS LINK.
Perhaps you’d like to consider writing for the journal. If so, please email me at meartsed@gmail.com and I’d be glad to communicate with the details.
Spring MAEA Member Exhibit at the Saco Museum, “Changing Seasons”
Spring Member Exhibit at the Saco Museum, “Changing Seasons”
Whoops! I didn’t realize my mailing list was woefully out-of-date! It’s updated now, so all MAEA members should receive this email. If you’ve already received it – disregard this duplicate! I’m proud of our state association for our belief in educators as artists, and for supporting the artistic practice of our members. That’s why our Fall Conference focuses on hands-on experiences, why we have a thriving interest group (MAEA Creates!) devoted to art-making, and that’s why we have not one, but TWO Member Exhibits that allow us to share our artwork in professional venues. Our Spring Member Exhibit, “Changing Seasons”, at the Saco Museum is coming right up! The show will be up from February 10th through May 3rd, with an opening reception February 10th from 1:00-3:00 (snow date Feb 17th, same times). Participate by registering no later than January 31st at this link:
Not all of us live near Saco, however. Don’t let that stop you! We typically coordinate art shuttles to bring artwork in from other regions around the state. Want to help, or need a shuttle? Let me know!
For many years I’ve wanted to write a book about education. Life has interesting twists and sometimes surprising turns. Creating the book “Catching Fireflies” is one of those surprises. I worked with my friend Jean Feldeisen who is a poet, to combine my art and her poems in “Catching Fireflies”. And, now I’m having my first ever one person show that will include 12 images from the book. The show is called “The Art of Catching Fireflies” and opens this Sunday, January 14 at Gibbs Library in Washington. If you’re in the neighborhood please stop by 1:00-3:00. I’d love to see you, meet you, and/or chat with you. I am grateful beyond words for this opportunity.
The book is available to purchase at THIS LINK. Cards and prints will be available in the near future.
I’ve been angry for some time about shootings that have killed innocent people. I know that I am not alone. The ones that are the most upsetting are the shootings that have taken place at schools. My heart aches for the teachers and students whose lives have been lost, injured, or altered. And, all the families and friends that live with the memories. And, the fear that many teachers and students have, especially just after a school shooting takes place.
I remember clearly the following:
Columbine High School, Columbine, Colorado, April 20, 1999, 12 students and 1 teacher murdered and 2 student perpetrators committed suicide
Sandy Hook Elementary School, Newtown, Connecticut, December 14, 2012, 20 students (between the ages of 6 and 7), 5 adult staff members murdered, and 1 student perpetrator committed suicide
Marjory Stonemason Douglas High School, Parkland, Florida, February 14, 2018, 14 students and 3 staff members
Robb Elementary School, Uvalde, Texas, May 24, 2022, 19 students and 2 teachers murdered, perpetrator was shot at the scene
The shootings in Lewiston on October 25, 2023 stunned me beyond anger. Every time there has been a mass shooting I find myself wondering what is going to stop this behavior and I ask myself, what can I do? How can we as a society get people the help and attention and education that they need before they take actions that kill others and many times themselves? Yes, the laws need to change but we know laws alone are not the answer nor is taking away guns from all people the answer.
The following data is from 2021 and was published by the Pew Research center in August 2023. There is much more on this webpage.
More Americans died from gun-related injuries, 48,830 people, in 2021 than in any other year on record.
54% of all gun-related deaths in the US were suicides (26,328), 81% involved a firearm.
During the pandemic gun murders increased 45% between 2019 and 2021 and the number of gun suicides rose 10% during that same time.
According to the BBC the US ratio is 120.5 firearms per 100 residents, up from 88 per 100 in 2011.
Please note: I grew up with guns in my home, they were used only for hunting. We had food on the table some years because of the rabbits and deer my father shot. I was taught to respect the guns in our home, they were always locked in a gun safe. When I was about 12 years old I took the hunter safety course and went on my first hunt with my father, sister, and brothers.
Today was the first session of the Maine Legislature. They started the session by honoring the 18 people killed in Lewiston. I traveled to Augusta to attend the scheduled rally in the State House. I’m guessing there were a thousand people there. When I arrived the line to get into the building and go through security wound around the State House, down the hill and across the entrance to the side of the street in front of the library. Many people had signs tucked under their arms with their hands in their pockets to keep warm. People were patient and on the quiet side, having small conversations. After 2 hours in the slow moving line we saw people leaving the building and the word passed along that the official rally was over, individuals were encouraged to go visit their legislators offices, and family members of those killed in Lewiston were telling their stories.
As I stood in line talking to strangers my mind wandered to all the teachers and students in schools across our state of Maine. I hope no Maine teacher or student has to go through a shooting in their school. I was grateful to have the chance to be there today but even though my attending didn’t really ‘do’ anything there was a small part of me that was there for all the teachers and students who were not there. I stood in line with the hundreds of others who care deeply about the lives of Maine people. I hope that we sent a clear picture and that the Maine Legislature can work together to do what is right for Mainers.
ARRT! – Artists’ Rapid Response Team banner
ARRT! – Artists’ Rapid Response Team banner
ARRT! – Artists’ Rapid Response Team banner
ARRT! (Artists’ Rapid Response Team) collaborates with 60+ non-profit, progressive groups to promote social change in Maine. This collective of approximately twelve artists meets monthly to create issue-oriented, socially-engaged banners and props. LEARN MORE!
Traditionally I make a Greek New Year’s bread called Vasilopita which is baked with a coin inside. As the new year arrives the bread is cut, a slice for each family member, friends and neighbors. Whoever is the finder of the buried coin is blessed with fortune during the year. I wish you all the best of luck and good fortune during 2024!
Recently I learned about the Pridrangar Lighthouse that stands 110 feet from the ocean’s surface. The name Pridrangar means “three rock pillars” which reflects the giant sea stacks upon which the lighthouse rests. It is located in Iceland, six miles off the southern coast and was constructed in 1939. Experienced mountaineers were recruited to scale the sea stack to build it. When life is challenging perhaps giving thought to how difficult it was to build the lighthouse will provide some ease in your load.
Today I pause for a short time to review my 2023. I am feeling all the emotions of living each day to the fullest. I think about the challenges I’ve taken on including planning the Sestercentennial (250 years) for my small Maine town, the new things I’ve learned like carving wooden spoons, the medical situations I’ve faced including carpal tunnel surgery, the collaborations I’ve been part of including stitching a 25 foot by 7 feet piece of art that will hang in a law firm in Philadelphia. I’ve been thrilled to publish a book after working with a poet friend for almost 2 years, to visit with friends that I haven’t seen in 50 years, and to travel to a country I’ve never been to. I am grateful for the small things in life including watching amazing sunrises from my front yard, paddling along silently as an eagle flies overhead, walking through the woods to look closely at tracks in the snow. I never lose sight of how fortunate I am which reminds me to have an open heart when sewing hundreds of dresses and pants for children in other countries or taking time to make cards for friends or going to lunch with an older friend once a month. As with many of you, I am feeling the tragedy of the shootings in Lewiston. The many young children, relatives and friends who have lost loved ones during a few minutes of a day. My heart breaks for people around the world who endure the daily terrors of war. I think about the environment and work to minimize my negative impact.
I am mindful of the importance of light, reaching as many as possible. My biggest question as a teacher: Is what I’m doing in the best interest of every learner? The question I ask today is: Am I contributing to help make the world a better place? As I consider my hopes and dreams for 2024 please know that I appreciate the work educators do every day in the classroom. You may have heard me say this during the pandemic and it still rings true today: Whatever you decide to do, is the right thing and enough. Thank you for continuing to spread your light. As we look up at the sky on a clear Maine night and see the same stars we are all connected.
Argy Nestor
Arts Educator, Blogger, Artist, Connector meartsed@gmail.com
https://sites.google.com/view/anestor/
Argy’s Blog
The purpose of this blog is to share stories about people and places; and to celebrate the amazing work (and play) that students, educators, and organizations are doing in and for arts education. In addition, the blog has a plethora of resources and innovative ideas. This forum gives blog readers the opportunity to learn from each other. It is essential that we listen, learn, and collaborate in order to build on teaching practices for the benefit of every learner in Maine and beyond.
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