Students Create at Monson Arts

Cover Photo - Izzy by Maggie Anderson This was the signature piece on the gallery opening announcement! Congrats Maggie!

Gallery Opening

Tucker - Acrylic on Wood - by Maggie Anderson

Tucker by MA

Last fall, we received a call from Monson Arts about an opening they had in a special program for students to meet with, and learn from, practicing artists working in the Monson Arts program. I have always loved the arts, and my two artistic daughters prove that art is not necessarily genetic! Training is key, and they were fortunate to have great art teachers, because they did not get that from either me or my wife! The point here is that we have some amazingly talented artists who were ready to take their work to the next level, and this program promised to allow them to do just that. With help from Mrs. Williams in visual arts, and from our English teachers, Mrs. Bowman, Mr Bickerstaff, Mr Furlong, and Mrs. Jenkins-Suggs, I identified 4 young ladies to participate in the program. They were McKenzie Perkins and Maggie Anderson in visual arts, and Ellie Davis and Emilee Shaw in creative writing. Not too long after they offered us another creative writing placement and Lindy Clukey stepped up to take that one on giving us 5 wonderful students who would have the opportunity to grow and learn under the tutelage of some amazing practicing artists in a wonderful setting. In the second semester, a 6th student, Kaelyn Bussell, who was in the program with PCHS, transferred here and attended the rest of the 3rd quarter at Monson.

Emilee Shaw - But I don't write for you

But I don't write for you

Just last week, the program set up a beautiful display of the students’ works in a gallery style opening entitled “Carved Moments - Young Artists of Monson Arts”. They had an official opening which featured exclusively student created works from several schools in the region. I never fail to be amazed by the wonderful works that young minds can produce. There were poems and prose by the writers, and paintings and sculptures by the visual artists and they were great. The food wasn’t bad either! The gallery also has a gift shop attached which features works by Maine artisans and was fun to browse through. This exhibit will remain on display through May 26th and their hours are Friday and Saturday from 10-5. I encourage you to take a ride to Monson (beautiful drive to see beautiful art!) to see the works that our students and others from the region have produced. You will not be disappointed. I have added some pictures to this post to show the gallery and some of the works our students have produced. Enjoy and congratulations to our budding artists on their success in what I am guessing is their first public showing of their work! Enjoy some of my photos of their works below.

Dr. Rad Mayfield

Gallery Wall of Fame!

Gallery Wall of Fame