NEWSPAPERS IN EDUCATION’S SPECIAL EDITION #3
Dexter Regional High School students create historical clay facades
By Mary Lightbody
DRHS art teacher
Inspired by Maine artist Randy Fein’s New York City clay facades, students in the pottery class at Dexter Regional High School have created clay facades of some historic buildings in downtown Dexter.
To begin the project students consulted with history teacher Mr. Rick Whitney to learn historical facts about various buildings in the downtown area.
Photo courtesy of Mary Lightbody
Aleah Salsbury, DRHS senior
Park Theatre (1912), stoneware clay facade
Our class walked down the main street armed with cameras to take photos from various angles. Some students also consulted a book by Frank E Spizuoco “Images of America Dexter” to research their building’s appearance in the past. This was particularly important for the Park Theater, which is no longer standing.
Students then created a drawing for the composition of their building’s façade. The pieces were constructed of stoneware clay using a slab technique. Carving, applique and texturing techniques were used to add windows, bricks, dentils and decorative motifs.
Color was applied with underglazes and glazes to achieve a contrast in surface texture between smooth shiny glass windows and rough multi colored bricks.
Photo courtesy of Mary Lightbody
Emma Wing, DRHS senior
Dustin Black (1884), stoneware clay facade
Each piece was fired twice in a ceramic kiln at more than 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit and finished with a layer of wax. The entire project took more than 12 weeks to complete.
Maine History students in Mr. Rick Whitney’s class have created informational labels for each facade, which will be on display at the Abbott Memorial Library from March 27 to April 13.
This exhibit will also be on display at the Grist Mill Museum in Dexter this summer.
Photo courtesy of Mary Lightbody
McKynzie Allen-King, DRHS freshman
Abbott Memorial Library (1894), stoneware clay facade
Photo courtesy of Mary Lightbody
McKynzie Allen-King, DRHS freshman
Abbott Memorial Library (1894), stoneware clay facade
Photo courtesy of Mary Lightbody
Olivia Day, DRHS freshman
Fossa’s General Store, stoneware clay facade
More facade artists
Photo courtesy of Mary Lightbody
Mackenzie McKusick, DRHS senior (left)
and Breanna Bussell, DRHS senior
“Nancy the Clock” (1925) and Dexter Post Office cupola (1939), stoneware clay facades
‘Nancy the Clock’(1925)
By Mackenzie McKusick
DRHS senior
My clay facade is “Nancy the Clock” on top of the Morrison building in Dexter, Maine. I picked the clock because growing up I remember hearing it chime while I was shopping with my mom and I always thought it was the coolest.
It took about 12 weeks to fully complete my ceramic piece. I started with a slab of clay, but then had to wait until the clay was in the leather stage for perfect carving. After the first kiln fire I painted everything with underglaze except the hands of the clock, which I applied with the technique of appliqué and glazed with jet black for a shiny look. I was very pleased with my final product and have a whole new respect for ceramic artists.
Universalist Church (1829)
By Anna Handy
DRHS junior
When the facade project was assigned to my class, I instantly knew that I wanted to push my limits and do something complicated. When we made our trip downtown to take pictures, I gave myself multiple choices.
However, I kept thinking about the U.U. Church. I didn’t want to do just a portion of it, as Mrs. Lightbody suggested, I wanted to create the entire church and add as much detail as possible. While working on my piece, I encountered many obstacles such as the clay drying to fast, altering some of the details, and the facade warping. Luckily, Mrs. Lightbody helped me figure out how to overcome them. I’m beyond proud of how my piece has progressed and I am looking forward to add the finishing touches.
Dexter Post Office cupola 1939
By Breanna Bussell
DRHS senior
The cupola on the Dexter Post Office was the focus of my facade. It brings a vintage feel to the modern and changing town of Dexter; that is why I chose it to be my piece. I was drawn to the older feel of the building and I wanted to portray a small detail of town that not many people notice.
This particular cupola is simple in design but it pulls together the style of the post office. I loved the process making the facade; turning the ball of the clay into a miniature cupola. It was difficult, but it was well worth the time.
Self-portrait process
By Libby Toothaker
DRHS sophomore
When I first discovered that my class was going to be creating our own self-portraits, I had mixed feelings. I remember doing miniature self-portraits with Mrs. Lightbody in seventh grade, and it wasn’t one of the best things in school. But on the other hand, I was excited to see the results. Not just mine, but everybody’s, because I knew that we had several talented artists in my class.
Photo courtesy of Mary Lightbody
Libby Toothaker, DRHS sophomore
Self-portrait, graphite
When we began drawing, we didn’t exactly begin drawing. We placed a small grid on a print of our photograph, drew another grid on the drawing paper, and drew all the lines and shapes we could identify in each square of the grid throughout the piece, paying close attention to the slight enlargement between the two grids.
When we were satisfied with the results, we traced what we had drawn onto Bristol board, omitting the grid. From there, we began to shade. Using graphite pencils, kneaded erasers, and tortillons, we shaded small sections of the drawing, beginning with the eyes and working throughout the piece. We needed to create a value scale, and texture representing the lights and darks of the photograph. I enjoyed the shading; it’s one of my favorite art techniques.
Photo courtesy of Mary Lightbody
Sarah Vigue, DRHS junior
Self-portrait, graphite
Throughout the assignment, I had successes, and failures, but I believe that the piece came out well. It was, and is, my favorite piece of artwork that I’ve ever created.
Dexter Regional High School art students will be exhibiting their paintings and drawings at the Abbott Memorial Library in Dexter from March 27 through April 13.
Photo courtesy of Mary Lightbody
Alexis Kerr, DRHS sophomore
Self-portrait, graphite
This story was edited by Toothaker’s art teacher at Dexter Regional High School, Mary Lightbody.
More self-portraits
Photo courtesy of Mary Lightbody
Olivia Correa, DRHS senior
Self-portrait, graphite
Photo courtesy of Mary Lightbody
Katie Merrill, DRHS senior
Self-portrait, graphite
Photo courtesy of Mary Lightbody
Arielle Carlow, DRHS sophomore
Self-portrait, graphite
Photo courtesy of Mary Lightbody
Cassidy Vautier, DRHS sophomore
Self-portrait, graphite
Learning to paint a landscape
By Aleah Salsbury
DRHS senior
Anyone can look at a painting and think to themselves how well it came out and how amazing the painter may be. Yet, from an art student’s point of view the painting never reaches the stage of perfection. People who look at the painting may not take time to think about how many drafts it went through, how many layers of paint on the canvas or even how many trash cans it visited. At least as a painter you can look at anyone’s art work, even your own and think about the creative process and feel the frustration the artist went through.
Photo courtesy of Mary Lightbody
Aleah Salsbury, DRHS senior
Sunrise at Schoodic, acrylic on canvas
Speaking for myself I hated painting. I never thought I was good enough to paint and I was afraid. When you sketch it’s easy to erase and make mistakes, but for painters it’s not as easy. Everything you do is either going to become a part of your work or be the reason you tear your canvas in half. Painting is not easy and it takes a lot of time.
Photo courtesy of Mary Lightbody
Christine May, DRHS junior
Bar Harbor Bay, acrylic on canvas
If a painter truly cares about a piece it will show. From the paint on their apron, to the hours spent, even by the groaning noises that come from their work area. So when you look at paintings try to appreciate the real value of the piece because it may not seem that special or that hard, but if you only knew.
Dexter Regional High School art students will be exhibiting their paintings and drawings at the Abbott Memorial Library in Dexter from March 27 through April 13.
Photo courtesy of Mary Lightbody
Chen Ziyi, DRHS sophomore
Boisterous Nocturne, acrylic on canvas
DRHS student art exhibit
DEXTER — Students from the Dexter Regional High School will be exhibiting their artwork at the Abbott Memorial Library from March 26 to April 15.
The GFWC/Dexter Women’s Literary Club sponsors this exhibit.
The artwork will be judged and prizes will be awarded for first, second and third place. The artwork will then be submitted to the District Art Show to take place on Saturday, April 5 at Jeff’s Catering in Brewer.
The District Art Show will display artwork from high schools in Dexter, Dover-Foxcroft, Patten, Newport, Hartland, Pittsfield, Winterport and Bangor.
What Kids Say
“What can you find in the newspaper?”
The Observer was at Brownville Elementary School
Brady McCleary
“Weather and people that go
to the hospital and accidents.”
Dani Godwin
“Animals for sale, car accidents and cars for sale and the news that has
happened earlier.”
Reporters/photographers were fifth-graders Brady McClearly and Dani Godwin, both 11.
Kaydence Doore
Kindergarten, age 5
“Dogs and wild
animals.”
Kevan Royal
Kindergarten, age 6
“A car accident.”
Izabelle Cote
Grade 1, age 7
“Comics.”
Tristan Goodwin
Grade 1, age 7
“The weather.”
Austin Gallant
Grade 2, age 7
“Comics, weather and news that’s
happened.”
Ciara Hussey
Grade 2, age 7
“Cars and car
accidents.”
The Observer was at Milo Elementary School
Joslin Black
“People that died, puzzles,
weather, news and sports.”
The reporter was fifth-grader Joslin Black, 10, and the
photographer was fifth-grader Izaak Krause, 11.
Izaak Krause
“Ads, crossword puzzles, news, comics, people that died and weather.”
Raven Blanchard
Grade 3, age 9
“People that died and pictures.”
MacKenzie Goodine
Grade 3, age 8
“Weather and facts.”
Billy Sanborn
Grade 3, age 8
“News and comics.”
LG Shaw
Grade 3, age 9
“Sports and news.”
Gavin Allen
Grade 4, age 10
“Articles
and comics.”
Angela Bryden
Grade 4, age 9
“Sports, news, comics and puzzles.”