The Monson Arts High School Program ended the year with a wonderful exhibition in our gallery! There were 24 students who participated in the show, 11 writers, and 13 visual artists. It was the largest exhibition we’ve had from our high school students, with over 80 pieces on the wall. Our students worked hard throughout the school year under the guidance of Dawn Potter for writing and Alan Bray for visual arts. Six area high schools and one homeschool program had students participate this year. The students get to choose the title of their show at the end of the year, and they are included in the exhibition curation process. They chose the title “Wild, I” after looking together at all the work they had created throughout the year. Themes of water, nature, animals, and personal stories were intertwined throughout all of their work.
The students have the opportunity to come to Monson Arts two times a month and spend the day working in a studio setting with professional artists and writers. Dawn Potter, our writing instructor, is the incoming poet laureate of Maine and the author or editor of ten books of prose and poetry. Alan Bray, our visual arts instructor, is a renowned painter who grew up right in Monson and has exhibited work throughout the U.S., with pieces in numerous public and private collections, including the Portland Museum of Art and the Farnsworth Museum. The high school program here at Monson Arts was started in 2019 and, after a brief break in 2020, marks the completion of our 5th year of programming for local high school students.
One of the highlights of having the high school program here is the opportunity for students to interact with artists from across the country and around the world through Monson Arts’ residency program. This opens them up to possibilities and experiences they may not have been aware of before, enriching their experience beyond the classroom. Our goal is for this program to continue to grow and give back to our local youth and community through the education and expansion of the arts.
The program would not be possible without the effort and support of the schools that ensure their students have the opportunity to attend and work together to provide transportation to and from Monson every month. Our gratitude goes out to Nokomis Regional High School, Dexter Regional High School, Central High School, Greenville Consolidated Schools, Piscataquis Community High School, and Foxcroft Academy for partnering with us and investing in the program here at Monson Arts.
Time and space to create.
Monson Arts is a new artists’ residency and arts center in Monson, Maine. Programs include residencies for artists and writers, intensive shorter workshops, and educational partnerships with area secondary schools.