Visiting Artists

The Visiting Artist Program strives to enhance the art experience for all students at Pond Cove School. Professional artists from the State of Maine work with students and provide them with direct exposure to a specific artistic discipline. Through a series of hands-on workshops, students build confidence and find inspiration in their own art which in turn encourages them to find alternative ways to express themselves through art. In addition, artists work closely with faculty to incorporate a link between their program and the existing curriculum at Pond Cove. To date, Pond Cove School has hosted a number of artists some of which include, workshops in physical theatre, pottery, gelatin print making, and paper making.

Kindergarten Visiting Artist: Susan Webster of Deer Isle, Maine

Curriculum Objective:  Students learn to follow a detailed sequence of instructions necessary to make prints using a gelatin plate. They develop an understanding of replication, by seeing the difference between painting and printmaking. They also learn various visual concepts (texture, background, foreground, detail, composition, abstraction, inspiration, experimentation) that both expand vocabulary and are applicable in other areas of the curriculum. This is an ideal connection to the concepts taught in the kindergarten FOSS unit on Paper. The concepts taught reinforce what is taught in the kindergarden writing program.

1st Grade Visiting Artist: STAGES: The Performing Arts Academy for Kids provides a unique educational performing arts experience

Curriculum Objective:  The goals of this week-long experience are:

• To provide the Pond Cove students with an introduction of the complete playmaking process from script-writing to the final presentation of the work.
• To use the existing Pond Cove curriculum theme "Whales And the Ocean" as a springboard for the production process.
• To encourage creative expression and self-esteem by creating theater together.
• To have FUN!

2nd Grade Visiting Artist: Nancy Carroll of Bean Tree Pottery in Westbrook, Maine

Curriculum Objective:  Their project will connect to the second grade science curriculum, specifically the FOSS unit, "Solids and Liquids" using ceramics and glazing to demonstrate the conversion of liquid to solid.

3rd Grade Visiting Artist: Judy LaBrasco of Falmouth, Maine

Curriculum Objective:  A series of lessons that teach the grammar and the vocabulary of the picture book form. Students learn how to integrate pictures and words within the structure of a 12 page book. The five lesson program overlaps the fiction writing unit. It supports the third grade writing curriculum by reinforcing the processes used for communicating ideas through the language. The goal is to strengthen skills needed for written and visual communication. The book structure involves the tactile organization of elements; the students make the physical book and the integration of all of the elements serves to illuminate the processes involved in successful storytelling.

4th Grade Visiting Artist: Mimi Gregoire Carpenter

Curriculum Objective:  Our fourth grade students spend a large part of the year learning about and exploring the unique characteristics of the State of Maine. A big part of this unity looks at the features of our coastline. This year's visiting artist, Mimi Gregoire Carpenter, will further immerse our students in this topic through artistic exploration and drawing instruction. She is providing three sessions for each class and one grade level assembly. The first two sessions will focus on identifying, observing, and drawing a total of 18 Maine shells which will include everything from scallops to sea sponges and surf clams to sand dollars. The final session will be devoted to creating a tidal pool setting incorporating all the shells they have learned to draw and instruction on how to incorporate these into a story. At the grade level assembly, Mimi will take the students through the process she follows to create her drawings and write her books. Mimi's books are creative nonfiction – informational text told through fictional plot and cast of characters.