PRESQUE ISLE, Maine – The Wintergreen Arts Center (WGAC) opened its doors Saturday, Feb. 3 registering more than 45 students and greeting many interested citizens. The ever-popular Children’s Art Studio was busy all day, with drumming, painting, drawing, and playing elbow-deep in the water table.
“We are so grateful the community is responding to the creative needs of children, teens, and adults in our area. And, there is still time to enroll in a class,” said Lara Cannon, director of the WGAC. “The ‘Express Yourself – Young at Art’ class quickly filled to capacity, so we’ve added an additional Friday class.”
Classes are offered at $5 per hour of instruction and seats are still available in painting, sculpting, digital filmmaking, printmaking, fashion modeling, and drumming/rhythm adventures. Registration forms are available at the Aroostook Centre Mall Customer Service Desk, Morning Star Art & Framing, and the Mark and Emily Turner Memorial Library.
Prior to the open house registration, volunteers and friends donating to the Wintergreen Arts Center gathered Friday evening for a thank-you party and sneak preview of the Center. Fund-raising efforts to date have secured nearly $17,000, including a $5,000 grant from the Maine Community Foundation used to purchase studio equipment and art materials, as well as materials to prepare the space for classes. Several computers were donated by Northeast Publishing Co., The Star-Herald and the Aroostook Agency on Aging for use in the digital arts studio for video filmmaking. Vinyl flooring was donated by S.W. Collins and interlocking tiles were gratefully accepted from Krista and Scott Galipeau. Many volunteers are making it all possible.
Since the planning began in January 2006, Wintergreen Arts Center officials have been working toward a goal of building a lasting community space, where meaningful and enjoyable activities are offered to artists and non-artists alike. They especially want to address the artistic and creative needs of teens and school-age children in our area. By doing this, they hope to celebrate the talented people who live here and generate new enthusiasm for the creative economy in northern Maine. Achieving these ambitious goals has already begun.
The Wintergreen Arts Center’s mission is to provide an atmosphere rich in the creative arts for the residents of and visitors to Aroostook County.
For more information, visit www.wintergreenarts.org or contact Lara Cannon at 207-551-0936.
