Arts in Education

First Lady Karen M. Baldacci creates "Maine Youth Excellence in Art" Project

First Lady Karen M. Baldacci wants to see Maine students' art enlivening the State House, and she has created a plan to make that happen. Working with the Maine Arts Commission, the Maine Alliance for Arts Education and the Maine Art Education Association as well as the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the First Lady has developed the Maine Youth Excellence in Art project. During the next three years, every school in Maine will be invited to submit one piece of two-dimensional art, for example a painting, drawing or photograph. The artwork will be displayed at the State House, the Blaine House, the Maine Cultural Building and other state buildings, so that it can be enjoyed by the Governor, legislators, the staff of state agencies and all those who visit Augusta.

Our First Lady states, "It is important to recognize and celebrate excellence in art of our Maine youth. We honor our young artists by displaying artwork throughout our state capital complex for our Governor, Legislators and Maine citizens to enjoy. We thank all the students for participating in this project. I would like to thank MBNA, L.L. Bean, National Semi-Conductor, People's Bank, Bangor Savings Bank, Leon and Lisa Gorman and Shoestring Creative Group for generously sponsoring this worthwhile project."


	Travis Guerrette, "Revenge of the Heike" Japanese Nebuta (Lantern) Depicting (Blind contour drawing with Sharpie marker, watercolor and oil pastel) Grade 8 Art teacher: Susan Irish Jordan-Small Middle School, Raymond

The program is voluntary for schools, whose art educators are invited to select the work, and for state legislators, who are invited to work with the schools in finding ways to transport the artwork to and from Augusta.

Letters of invitation and exhibition guidelines were sent to all school administrators and art educators. The first of this year's quarterly exhibits will be displayed beginning in March.

LCo-presidents of the Maine Art Education Association, Sandy Brennan and Trudy Wilson, are delighted with this project.

"We deeply appreciate the First Lady's personal initiative on behalf of our young artists. Art teachers have long dreamed of having our students' artworks displayed in many government buildings for our law-makers and state workers to see. Her project makes this dream for our students come true."

Carol Trimble, executive director of the Maine Alliance for Arts Education, said of the project, "We are lucky to have a First Lady who is not only an educator, but also understands the importance of the arts in the education of Maine's students. This project will shine a light on the high-quality work being done by our art educators and students.

I would like to encourage schools to have their own school exhibits along with this project to show even more student work throughout Maine. I am also delighted that we have the support of the Maine Legislature on the project."

Those wanting more information on the program should contact Paul Faria, Arts in Education Associate at the Maine Arts Commission at paul.faria@maine.gov or 207/287-2790.