Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE – Community members have just a couple more days to see the artwork of talented SAD 1 students on display at the Aroostook Centre Mall.
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
JAIDA BEAULIEU, 7, points to her stained glass creation while sitting on top of her step-father Garry Nelson Jr.’s shoulders at the April 15 opening of the SAD 1 Art Exhibit at the Aroostook Centre Mall. The 13th annual exhibit features art created by students at Pine Street, Mapleton and Zippel elementary schools, Presque Isle Middle School, and Presque Isle High School. Beaulieu is a second grader in Karen Shaw’s class at Pine Street Elementary School. The artwork will be on display through May 2. Additional art exhibit photos will appear in a future issue of The Star-Herald.
The 13th annual SAD 1 Art Exhibit features art created by students at Pine Street, Mapleton and Zippel elementary schools, Presque Isle Middle School, and Presque Isle High School.
According to Ruth McAtee, chair of the SAD 1 art department, the students’ artwork canvases many mediums.
“There’s wood for sculptures and assemblages, we use oil pastels, acrylic paint, ceramics and other clay work, markers and paints … it’s quite a variety,” she said. “I see improvement every year in the kids’ development. They build upon the skill that they had the previous year, and I think this year is really outstanding.
“This is something I look forward to doing every year. The kids look forward to seeing their artwork on display, and it looks like parents and community members like to come in and take a look at it, too,” said McAtee of the April 15 opening reception. “I’m very proud of the students, and appreciate all of the help I received in hanging the work. I’d also like to thank the mall staff for donating this space to us. It makes it so nice to be able to hold our exhibit here.”
The opening reception was a family affair for Patrick Cannon.
“My 8-year-old daughter, Tessa, is a second-grader at Mapleton Elementary School and she really wanted us to see her artwork,” said Cannon. “Plus, our two other daughters – Madeline and Anna – are in the PIMS Jazz Band, which performed here tonight.
“It’s exciting to see their work on display,” he said. “My wife, Lara, runs the Wintergreen Arts Center, so art is a big thing for our family. Between their art classes at school, and taking classes at the Arts Center, it’s really built their confidence. This is a great thing for the school district to do because it gives the kids confidence and a chance to showcase their talents.”
Also during the opening, student volunteers manned a booth on behalf of the SAD 1 Volunteer Program, as a way to thank volunteers for their work districtwide.
“The booth is set up primarily to show volunteers that they are appreciated,” said Paige Nichols, a senior at PIHS. “We have bookmarks that elementary schoolers have made to say thanks, certificates, and stickers.
“The volunteers are super important to SAD 1,” she said. “Sometimes staff is limited to do creative things like in Spanish class, for example, Cinco de Mayo … setting up parties. You need more than one or two adults for crafts, food and things like that. I don’t think they usually get much recognition, so we wanted to change that.”
In addition to staffing the volunteer booth, Nichols also has artwork featured at the mall.
“It makes me feel good to have something on display,” she said. “It makes me feel that there’s actually a reason why I’m doing the work I’m doing at school … knowing that it’s actually going to be viewed at some point.
“I think it’s great that the mall puts stuff on like this for the kids … showing their art and their music,” said Nichols. “It’s really a night for the arts, and a way to show people that their work is appreciated. I hope the community comes and checks out all the great and creative pieces.”
Nichols said she enjoys digital photography the most.
“I love everything about it … I photograph people more than anything. That’s what I’m going to school for … I like the emotion. I do better with physical people than I do with a paintbrush,” she said.
Nichols will attend York County Community College in Wells this fall and will study graphic design and photography.
Performing at the April 15 opening were the Percussive Arts League, TC Recorder Club from Mapleton and Zippel, Zippel fourth-grade Recorder Classes, Mapleton and Zippel fourth-grade Recorder Classes, Elementary Band, PIMS Jazz Band, PIHS Jazz Band and the PIHS Jazz Choir.
The artwork will be on display through May 2. Galleries are located near Trader Joe’s, across from Houlton Farms Dairy and across from Bath & Body Works.
