WGAC

Mini Monet Friday, April 29, 2011

2011-05-07T15:11:00.000-07:00

The Mini-Monet playgroup at Wintergreen started a new spring session. Each Friday, kids ages 3-6 years old and their parents meet to do artistic projects together. The art projects this session are based on books by Maine authors. The class began by reading I Met a Moose in Maine One Day by Ed Shankman. After reading the story the kids made moose heads! They cut out the pre-drawn moose heads with scissors. Then they traced their hands to make antler shapes and cut them out. The children finished by decorating their moose faces with crayons and googly eyes and assembling with glue.

The children also made Mother's Day cards. They used cardstock, crayons, and scrapbooking materials to create a one of a kind card. It was a great start to a new session.

--Danielle, Mini-Monet Head Teacher

Mini Monet Friday April 15, 2011

2011-04-15T16:58:00.000-07:00

Today was a busy, fun day. In honor of Earth Day, we made an open faced Easter terrarium! We planted edible herbs like cilantro and basil. When we were done planting the children sprayed their terrariums with water. Finally we hid a miniature egg and chick among the plants.

We finished the class with a puppet show! The children used puppets they made last week to put on the show. It was an exciting day. The kids also bowled using froggy bowling pins and floated toy eggs and chicks in the water table. Every child received a treat bag for Easter.

They all seemed to have a great time today! --Danielle, Head Teacher, Mini-Monet

Mini Monet Friday April 8, 2011

2011-04-15T16:46:00.000-07:00

Last Friday we read One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss. We decorated pre-made puppets. We used fabric paint, googly eyes, and yarn to create the puppets we wanted. We let them dry so we could put on a puppet show for this Friday. It was a fun day!

Soap Making After School

2011-04-12T05:42:00.000-07:00

The Arts & Parks after school program had a special visiting artist teach them how to make soap. Dianne Shackway ("Mama Shack") spent several days with the kids teaching them how it is done. Needless to say Wintergreen smelled divine and everyone's hands were super clean.

Here are some photos from the week.

Mini Monet Friday April 1, 2011

2011-04-07T16:07:00.000-07:00

The Mini-Monet playgroup had fun this April Fool's Day--which is no joke! The class read There's a Wocket in my Pocket by Dr. Suess. After the story, the children made their own wockets by threading or "sewing" construction paper pockets together with yarn. Threading is hard work for small fingers. Once that was done the children decorated their wockets with crayons, colored clothes pins, and markers. Their finished wockets went right into their pockets, just like the story.

Next week we are making puppets! --Posted by Danielle, Mini-Monet Head Teacher

Dr. Seuss

2011-04-03T06:37:00.000-07:00

The after-school program spent the past three weeks studying Dr. Seuss and creating their own play and puppet show. Thank you to the many talented volunteers who came in to help the kids create the script, costumes, puppets and set. Please take a look at these colorful photos taken by Connie Gagnon.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lizzegee1/WintergreenPuppet?authkey=Gv1sRgCOu3g62TuauE5AE&feat=directlink

After School Program March 25, 2011

2011-03-27T15:35:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of us getting ready for our upcoming plays! The children are working on their scripts, puppets, costumes, and the set. We are very lucky to have so many people who are willing to help out! The children had to come up with their own Seuss-like characters and scripts. The children have worked very hard on their Seuss-like plays. They should be a blast! We all can't wait!

Mini Monet March 25, 2011

2011-03-26T17:15:00.000-07:00

This Friday we read Horton Hears A Who by Dr. Seuss. The children made clovers, like the one in the story. We made pom poms by wrapping yarn around a piece of cardboard, then slipping the yarn off, and tieing the yarn together with a small piece of yarn. Then we used our scissors to cut the loops, which made a pom pom! Then we wrapped half a pipe cleaner around the pom pom. We then put out clover inside the egg we made last time we had class. So they had something from each Horton book. When we were done the clovers we made book marks out of large craft sticks. They had the choice of coloring them with markers, gluing seguins and sparkles on them, or both. We had water color paints and wax sticks out at the easels and Model Magic dough out to mold with. We also had the water table out. We had a great class.

Mini Monet Friday March 11, 2011

2011-03-16T13:51:00.000-07:00

This past Friday the Mini-Monet group read Horton Hatches the Egg by Dr. Suess. The children first colored Horton's elephant ears and cut them out. We then stapled our ears to a construction paper head band, which they could also color if they chose to. After that we decoupaged plastic easter eggs with tissue paper. Next time we meet we are going to read Horton Hears a Who and make a little clover to hide inside our eggs. There were green and yellow paints at the easles with light green paper to paint on. We also set out foam shamrock stickers that they could place on their paintings since St. Patrick's Day is this Thursday. Before everyone left we took a group picture with us all wearing our Horton the Elephant ears. What a fun class we had!

--Posted by Danielle, Mini-Monet Instructor, WGAC

St. Patrick's Day Felt Wreath

2011-03-08T12:39:00.001-08:00

A group of senior ladies came in for a special lunch at the Studio Cafe and an art project this afternoon. The project was a St. Patrick's Day themed wreath made of felt.

Birthday Parties at Wintergreen

2011-03-07T07:13:00.000-08:00

Perhaps it is the cold weather inspiring warm and tropical birthday party themes. This weekend we had a Hawaiian Luau with a limbo, Hawaiian feast and candy buffet. The second party was an Under-the-Sea party. Both were lots of fun and for a while it felt like we'd all gone on a warm and tropical vacation.

First Friday Artswalk in March

2011-03-07T06:40:00.000-08:00

The First Friday Artswalk featured art by the Arts & Parks After-School program, grades 1-6, and a Latin jazz performance by "Martha Meets Mambo".

It was a cold dark night but inside it was warm and filled with colorful artwork and South-of-the-Border rhythms. The young artists got a commission for each of the paintings they sold.

Thank you to Morningstar Art & Framing for generously matting the children's work.

To see photos from all the First Friday activities visit http://www.facebook.com/PresqueIsleFirstFriday.

Mini Monet March 4,2011

2011-03-06T12:13:00.000-08:00

In honor of Dr. Seuss this session we are only reading Dr. Seuss books! This Friday we read The Cat in the Hat. We designed our own hats! We used a variety of materials to decorate the hats with such as: strips of paper, tissue paper circles, sequins, and crayons. After we finished designing our own hats we played a game. The children got 4 pom-poms each in seperate colors so we knew who got theirs in. They had 4 tries to throw their color pop-poms in The Cat in the Hat's hat. The chid who got the most pom-poms in the hat won. Eveyone got at least one pom-pom in so everyone won a prize. After the children enjoyed throwing their pom-poms in over and over. It was a good start to this session. Everyone seemed to have a great time!

Mini Monet Feb.18,2011

2011-02-28T17:37:00.000-08:00

Sorry I have been slow getting this post up! We made Snowy Handprint Trees the Friday before school vacation. We started with a sheet of blue construction paper and a sheet of white paper. We turned our white paper to the side so it was horizontal and cut a snowy landscape with our safety scissors. Then we used our glue sticks to stick the landscape to the blue construction paper. There was over hang so we cut the excess white paper. This project helped practice the children's cutting skills a bit. Then came the fun part! The parents helped paint the children's hands with brown tempera paint. The children then pressed their painted hands to the paper just above the white landscape. They used their fingers to paint the trees trunk. We then used our glue sticks to draw where the snow would be. After they sprinkled sugar over the glued areas to create the affect of falling snow.
Instead of reading a story that day I read a poem from the book A Year Full of Poems. The poem was titled Ice written by Walter de la Mare. This was the last class of last session. The next session starts this Friday, March 4th.

Saturday Open Studio-Valentines

2011-02-18T19:33:00.000-08:00

During our last Saturday Open Studio we made tissue paper flowers and butterfly valentines. We had a nice group of kids show up as you can see from the photo above. This Saturday we are making top hats in honor of Presidents Day. Saturday Open Studio is every Saturday from 10 am - 12 pm, $5 per child, adults and infants are free. No reservations required!

I'd like to offer a special thanks to our board member Christina Babcock-Bell who has been designing the projects each week and buying the extra art supplies as her donation to Wintergreen.

Mini Monet Feb.11, 2011

2011-02-15T16:10:00.000-08:00

This past Friday the children made valentines for their parents. We made Camo Communique's for the Dad's. We camouflaged green cardstock heart cut-outs with green and brown tissue paper. Then we glued on a smaller heart on top. They were able to write a message such as, "I Can't Hide My Feelings For You" or a message of their choice. For the Mom's we made Flower pot valentines. The children colored flower pot cut-outs, and then wrote a message on a small red heart. They then glued the heart to a packet of lavender seeds and placed the seed packets into the folded flower pot cut-outs gluing the sides to hold it together. There was cherry scented red play dough and heart-shaped cookie cutters to play with. We read two books this time; I Love You Through and Through by Bernadette Rossetti-Shustak and Hearts & Kisses by Michelle Knudsen. We made each child a personalized foam Valentine and treat bag to bring home. Hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day!

First Friday Downtown Arts Walk, February 2011

2011-02-07T18:34:00.001-08:00

Studio Cafe Feb.4,2011

2011-02-06T13:56:00.000-08:00

We had a great time at the Studio Cafe this past Friday! A group of children stayed after the Mini Monet class for lunch with their mother's. On our desert menu we had Biathlon cupcakes and the children loved them. They had some tasty, fun at the Studio Cafe!

Mini Monet Feb.4,2011

2011-02-06T13:32:00.000-08:00

This past Friday we decorated ceramic plates by threading ribbons around them and drawing on them with permanent porcelain markers. The children were able to choose between a heart shaped plate and a round shaped one. They were told to make them for someone they cared about for Valentine's Day, as long as it wasn't for their mom's or dad's because next week we will be makeing a special Valentine for their mom's and dad's. The story we read before doing this project was Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney. As usual, we had our secret recipe play dough out with some heart cookie cutters as well as the water table. When the children were done with their projects they painted pre-cut hearts, which we will use to decorate the back part of the Wintergreen Art Center.

January First Friday

2011-01-08T18:27:00.000-08:00

Photographs by Connie Gagnon

Despite cold and snow the First Friday Arts Walk was well attended. Thank you to all of the visitors, venues and artists who participated. The strawberry mice were created by WGAC Chef Gretchen Violette. The egg head faces and snail sandwich wraps were also as good to eat as they were to look at.

Next month the IBU World Cup Biathlon and First Friday Arts Walk are preparing for a fun celebration of the Arts, food and fun. To learn more visit their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6112064277&ref=share#!/PresqueIsleFirstFriday

WGAC Creativity Book for Young Artists

2011-01-02T09:24:00.001-08:00

Don't miss purchasing the Wintergreen Arts Center Creativity Book for Young Artists! This limited edition is available at the Wintergreen Arts Center, Goin' Postal, Wilder's Jewelers and Morning Star Art & Framing for only $10!

This "coloring" book allows for your child's own ideas and art to shine. Each page begins with a little creative inspiration and offers plenty of room for creativity and artistic ingenuity. Take a look inside:

2010 Gingerbread Festival Family Day

2010-12-12T09:29:00.000-08:00

Gingerbread Festival Opening & Bell Choir

2010-12-05T18:10:00.000-08:00

Richard & Carolyn Kimball graciously led the Grant Memorial United Methodist Bell Choir as they played Christmas music at Wintergreen tonight. The winners for the 2010 Gingerbread Festival were announced. It was a festive and beautiful celebration. Thanks to the many people who volunteered their time to make it a memorable evening for all.

Presque Isle First Friday

2010-11-14T05:13:00.000-08:00

Check out this music montage by Renee Felini of the First Friday Arts Walk activities in November. The excitement keeps building for this downtown Presque Isle event. Each month the guest total has grown by ten new people which means we are up to 85 First Friday participants!

Wintergreen Pampered Spa &Tea Party

2010-11-07T04:10:00.000-08:00

A dream tea party was held for a happy group six year old girls at WGAC this weekend. The girls began with a pink pampered spa party and then enjoyed High Tea & a candy buffet!

A special thank you to Terry Burtchell from the Seamstress Shop in the Aroostook Centre mall who donated her time to sew a spectacular custom made table cloth glitzed out with ruffles and tassels! Thanks Terry!!!

Spooktacular & Costume Parade!

2010-10-31T11:04:00.000-07:00

Light Bulb Terrarium Project

2010-10-13T12:20:00.000-07:00

The Wednesday Workshop for Adults (11:30 - 1pm) created light bulb terrariums today. Next week we are making candy corn wreaths. The cost of the workshop and supplies is $10. To register call (207)551-0936 or (207)762-3576.

Lunch at the Studio Cafe

2010-10-05T06:42:00.001-07:00

Get Inspired while Eating for a Cause!

The sunny Studio Cafe at the Wintergreen Arts Center serves fresh and delicious lunches for a casual dine-in experience or a brown bag to-go, Tuesday through Friday from 11 am until 2 pm. All profits from the Studio Cafe go directly to supporting the Wintergreen Arts Center.

The Studio Cafe gratefully acknowledges Citadel Broadcasting for their generous support.

Arts Afterschool Program Project Update

2010-10-05T06:18:00.000-07:00

The kids in the Arts Afterschool program have been learning from Betsy Allen how to reuse discarded materials and artistically transform them into something new. This project began as a pile of old magazines and newspapers. The kids learned how to turn the magazines into pulp and then turn the pulp into handmade paper speckled with flower seeds. When the kids are done enjoying what they made it can be planted in the earth and flowers will grow from it.

Fall in Northern Maine

2010-10-04T17:42:00.001-07:00

It is such a beautiful time of year in Presque Isle. This picture was taken from the top of Haystack Mountain this weekend.

Junior Engineering Program

2010-10-04T17:38:00.000-07:00

The Junior Engineering Program worked with Lego Robotics today. Here are a couple shots from the class.

October Saturday Open Studio-Dryer Vent Pumpkins!

2010-10-04T05:30:00.000-07:00

Saturday Open Studio is available between 10 am - 12 pm every Saturday at Wintergreen.

It is an informal time for children to socialize, play and create with their friends and parents. A new themed project is available every week. Our activity this week was transforming dryer vent tubing into pumpkins.
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Admission is $5 per child (adult caregivers are free).

Jennifer Johnson-First Friday

2010-10-04T05:23:00.000-07:00

Jennifer Johnson held her opening reception during the First Friday event in downtown Presque Isle. The rain poured in buckets all night long but the venues were bustling guests and artistic activity.

Christening Party at WGAC

2010-10-04T05:19:00.001-07:00

Donor Recognition Party 2009-2010

2010-08-22T15:30:00.001-07:00

The Wintergreen Arts Center held a donor recognition party for the major campaign donors of 2009-2010 this weekend. Thanks to the generosity of all Wintergreen is operational and whirl of activity.

Thanks all!

Crown of Maine Balloon Festival Art

2010-08-16T18:16:00.000-07:00

The Crown of Maine Balloon Festival activities launched early at Wintergreen Arts Center in downtown Presque Isle. A fun day themed with hot air balloon art projects and bubble blowing activities for kids was held on Saturday, August 14th from 9 am - 12 pm.

The 7th annual Crown of Maine Balloon Festival will be held August 26 through 29 at the Northern Maine Fairgrounds. Please go to www.crownofmaineballoonfest.org for complete details and information.

Fashion Framed!

2010-08-12T17:50:00.000-07:00

The kids really enjoyed "Fashion Framed" by Nichole Smith. Nichole is visiting Presque Isle this summer and we were lucky to have her teach this week. She graduated from UMPI with her BFA and is currently attending Columbia College Chicago for Graduate School. She is a painter, sculptor, fiber artist, sound artist, musician, and an aspiring tattoo artist. She enjoys experimenting with new art forms and is devoted to making her art out of recycled materials.

Cake Decorating Party

2010-07-23T04:55:00.000-07:00

The WGAC summer camp/afterschool staff had a cake decorating party last night. Gabby helped all of us pile on the butter cream and make roses and borders. It was a lot of fun!

Garden and Sidewalk Update

2010-07-13T15:47:00.000-07:00

The flowers are starting to bloom and the new sidewalk is ALMOST done!

Summer Camp at WGAC

2010-06-30T15:59:00.000-07:00

The Arts & Parks summer camps at WGAC are in full swing. Chelsea Kaiser and her capable assistants Jennifer, Becky, Keely and Danielle are having fun with the kids making a box town village. I discovered their projects (in-progress) lining the stairwell and thought it would make a perfect picture to share. The little villagers (below) were also made by the kids to populate their box town when it is all done.

New Sidewalk & Crosswalk!

2010-06-23T15:07:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to see the new sidewalk and crosswalk being built! Thanks to the P.I. Downtown Revitalization Committee, the City of Presque and the Maine's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) the Wintergreen Arts Center will have a new handicapped accessible sidewalk, beautiful new granite curbing and solar powered crosswalk to increase pedestrian safety--and best of all, it is going to look great!!! The old broken cement is gone.

Girl Scout Felt Matryoshka Nesting Dolls

2010-06-14T15:50:00.000-07:00

Eighteen local girl scouts made felt matryoshka dolls to earn one of their badges today.

Grace Wight Memorial Garden

2010-06-08T13:25:00.000-07:00

Thank you to Henry Young (our lone volunteer) Randy and team from King's Gardener (who generously donated several trees and plants) and our donors Ray and Jo Lamoreaux who made the landscaping project possible. A dedication ceremony will be be happening in August along with a donor party.

Landscaping has Begun!

2010-06-07T15:26:00.001-07:00

Thanks to the generosity of Ray and Jo Lamoreaux the creation of the "Grace Wight Memorial Garden" has begun.

King's Gardener has started work today in the rain.

Girl Scout Fieldtrip at Wintergreen

2010-06-07T15:23:00.000-07:00

The Daisies and Brownies made retablos at Wintergreen Arts today!

Wintergreen in Downtown Presque Isle

2010-05-25T16:30:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends of Wintergreen,

There has been some concern about the "For Sale" signs recently placed in our store windows. The Wintergreen Arts Center has a ten year lease agreement at 149 State Street until 2019.

We look forward to a long and happy stay in downtown Presque Isle and the sale of the building should not impact Wintergreen Arts negatively.

Thank you,
Lara Cannon
Executive Director

More Performance Photos, Grades 4-6

2010-05-23T17:04:00.000-07:00

Puppet Performance, Grades 1-3

2010-05-21T05:40:00.000-07:00

Puppet Workshop

2010-05-14T05:19:00.000-07:00

Artist & Puppeteer Ian Bannon, from Figures of Speech Puppet Theatre, (http://www.figures.org/schools/teachwksps.html) spent two days with the Arts & Parks Afterschool program teaching the children how to make their puppets come alive.

They are getting ready for a puppet show that will soon be performed for their friends and family. Ian did a great job, and the kids really enjoyed their time with him.

Arts & Parks Afterschool Photos

2010-04-22T09:58:00.000-07:00

Artful Egg Photos-By Lauren Claus

2010-04-05T17:33:00.000-07:00

Over 100 children, and even more adults attended the 4th Annual Artful Egg at the Wintergreen Arts Center. It was a glorious day in April, the temperature was 80 degrees, and the volunteers worked hard to create a fun spring party for families.

Here are a few pictures taken by photographer Lauren Claus. Activities included cupcake decorating, bouncy house, games, duck pond, egg dyeing, a sock bunny project, face painting and a cake walk!

Thanks All!

Wild Things

2010-03-31T09:21:00.000-07:00

Ribbon Cutting and Gagnon Opening

2010-03-12T08:08:00.001-08:00

Thank you to all who attended and volunteered. A special thank you to Nicole Staples from Lily Hill Photography (http://www.lilyshillphotography.com/) for taking these pictures.

Grand Opening Party Photos

2010-03-07T05:11:00.000-08:00

Yipee! The Wintergreen Arts Grand Opening Celebration was a lot of fun! The Just for Kids events from 12-3 pm was bustling with families doing all kinds of creative activities for the entire three hours. Thank you to the wonderful volunteers who made the whole thing run smoothly and Citadel radio for making it even more exciting with a live radio show.

Later in the evening, the Ribbon Cutting and Art Opening for Tim Gagnon from 7-9 pm had a successful turnout and the adults seemed to have fun too. We were lucky to have Congressman Mike Michaud cut our ribbon. Special thanks to the Presque Isle Chamber of Commerce for the official ribbon and cutting ceremony.

Presquillian (www.presquillian.com) came and did a live webcast which had over 60 viewers from all over the country.

Whew! Wintergreen Arts Center has officially opened--thanks to all!

Grand Opening!!

2010-02-27T18:36:00.000-08:00

The Studio Cafe and PlayHouse are under construction! No photos will be posted until after the Grand Opening Party on Saturday, March 6th. (There has to be a little mystery.)

Kids and families are invited to attend between 12pm and 3pm for cake, informal art activities and a tour.

The official ribbon cutting and premier of the new Barresi Financial Art Gallery featuring artwork by local and internationally collected artist, Tim Gagnon of GagnonStudio, will be from 7pm - 9pm. Light refreshment will be served.

Getting Closer to Complete

2010-02-01T13:55:00.001-08:00

The reception desk has arrived! Thankfully there will be no more camping on a make shift table and folding chiar. The stairwell is done, the final rubber tiles have been installed.

The bathroom is 99.9% done, note the new mirror.

Tiled Backsplash

2010-01-19T19:19:00.000-08:00

The colorful tiles were made by donors who purchased a blank tile for $25 and decorated it with ceramic markers. Several people have mentioned they were sorry they didn't get a chance to do it, so guess what, we've got a nook that could use some tiles and we are offering a second chance.

If you would like to add your piece of art to the Wintergreen Arts Center please send an email to wintergreenarts@gmail.com for more information.

"Mini-Monet" First Day

2010-01-08T16:28:00.000-08:00

Ta-Da!

2010-01-06T16:52:00.000-08:00

Our new "Boots and Coat" station. (The staircase on the left still needs to be stained.)

We've been working around the clock to finish. It's not quite done, but it is so close I'm feeling like saying ta-da! The afterschool program has been operating for two days and it seems to be a happy success.

The mural is still not done, but it is really really close.

This is where the theater (PlayHouse) will eventually go.

As soon as the tiles have been grouted the blue tape will come off. A few knobs and pulls are still missing, but other than that it's looking beautiful.

State of Affairs this Afternoon

2009-12-31T12:17:00.000-08:00

There is a whirl of activity going on today. The City of Presque Isle is throwing a New Years Celebration tonight and they are going to host a sparkling cider toast at midnight in our lobby. The pictures above show how our lobby is looking at 3pm today. By midnight it should look a lot different...

P.S. Things are looking brighter than they were a few days ago but we haven't had that deliverance moment yet. It should be soon.

The Ebb and Flow of Things

2009-12-28T15:45:00.000-08:00

The trim work is coming along nicely, note the finished floor.

The cabinetry in the kitchenette has been installed--almost. There wasn't enough laminate, so we will have to spend tomorrow finding another solution.

The bathroom counter-top is in. Unfortunately, the mirror that goes behind the sink will not make it in time for opening. It is two weeks away.

The stars were just not lining up today. There were lots of setbacks, disappointments, headaches and troubles. Which means tomorrow will be a great day! There seems to be a natural ebb and flow of good and bad days at Wintergreen. If one day is all out of whack the next day is really good and the natural balance of "just right" is restored.

I'm expecting an exceptionally good day tomorrow. It will happen, wait and see.

The Floors are Stained! (on Christmas Eve)

2009-12-24T18:14:00.001-08:00

The above picture was taken on our first tour through the building.

This is today.

Thank you to Jay, Daniel, Jack and John for working so hard on Christmas Eve!

How it Began and How it Looks Today

2009-12-23T16:02:00.001-08:00

This is the studio today.

This is the studio before work began, other than the removal of the faux brick and stripping the wallpaper.

This is mid-way.

This is how it looked on the first day.

This is today.

Tuesday Trim Work

2009-12-22T17:45:00.000-08:00

Trimming

2009-12-20T16:43:00.000-08:00

Lots and lots of trim still needs to go up.

Wintergreen Update

2009-12-18T16:40:00.000-08:00

Bathroom in progress...

Kitchenette in progress...(note the new HE Washer & Dryer)

Mural in progress...

Lots of trims, everywhere, waiting for their new home...

Art Studio furnishings, you guessed it, in progress...

The new door has been installed in the rear exit/entrance.

The Plan is Coming Together!

2009-12-14T14:56:00.001-08:00

To the un-trained eye this may not look like much, but there are some subtle signs of success in these pictures you may miss with a quick glance.

1) Note the Fire Escape signs are lit up and installed.

2) There are working light fixtures over head that go to actual working light switches.

3) The cabinets are getting closer and closer to the finished product.

4) The walls and ceiling are painted.

5) The floors are sanded.

Felt Board Spotlight

2009-12-13T06:51:00.000-08:00

The new felt board created by artist Melissa Crowe for the Wintergreen Art Studio has been featured in an online magazine. Check it out! (see link below)

Cabinetry Has Arrived

2009-12-12T09:31:00.000-08:00

Wintergreen has finally got a sign!

The interior cabinets have arrived and look a bit like a colorful jigsaw puzzle at the moment.

The mural for the Poet's Corner is also coming along and the walls and ceiling are almost completely painted.

100 Year Old Wood Floors

2009-12-05T13:39:00.000-08:00

The exterior steel door frame has been welded in place. The new door should be arriving within a week or two to be installed. The cement pad/landing was also cast this week. They poured concrete to the right of the opening to close up an old window hole (blue ladder is covering the patch). This side of the building already has a "distressed" look so we'll have to come up with some kind of finish to blend in. We are also concerned about the crumbling facade falling on our visitors heads, so we may need to build some kind of protective canopy over the door.

I'm personally looking forward to not discovering new projects that need to be done!

Daniel, John, and Jay have been working long, hard hours on their hands and knees sanding the wood floors. They even came in this morning (Saturday) at 4:30 am to make sure we are staying on schedule for our opening date. Children have begun registering for our afterschool program so it's got to be ready by January 5th.

John Footer came up with a finish that will accentuate the fact that the floor is 100 years old by leaving behind some of the marks created by years of use. We decided against aggressively sanding the surface to hold on to some of the floor's history.

One Month Left Before Opening...

2009-12-02T19:12:00.000-08:00

The walls and ceilings are primed.

A new door opening device has been installed on the front entry doors, for better accessibility.

Robbin dolled up the old radiators.

The stairs are in! I tested them out very carefully after hours and they work.

Thanksgiving Week Update

2009-11-29T15:50:00.000-08:00

The finish work on the walls looks done to me, I believe the ceiling paint is being rolled in the morning.

The interior landing for the new stairwell has been created.

The exterior opening for the new fire escape/rear entrance has been cut. A gravel pathway has also been created as a temporary walkway to the rear parking lot. In the spring, a formal garden and walkway will be created, thanks to the generosity of Ray and Jo Lamoreau.

The bathroom subway tile is being installed. A tiled backsplash is also going to be installed soon. Those light dots are created by dust...not a poor painting job.

This week

2009-11-20T13:03:00.000-08:00

The opening to the basement has been cut.

Moving Even Faster Still

2009-11-16T15:15:00.001-08:00

The new fire escape and stairwell, step one.

The mural has progressed, slightly.

The bathroom has a working light bulb!

The sheet rock is almost done.

Finish work on the new walls and ceilings is underway.

Moving Faster

2009-11-13T17:03:00.000-08:00

The bathroom has a first coat of paint.

The red lines indicate where the new staircase is going to be located. It should make parking at Wintergreen easier and less stressful because it leads directly to a large parking lot behind the building.

The rear exit will also make the fire marshal happy,
and our insurance company even more happy. Win,win.

The studio walls have been "mudded".

The sheet rock is getting closer to the entrance.

Steady Improvements

2009-11-11T14:08:00.000-08:00

Bathroom interior, thanks to the Maine Arts Commission.

Poet's Corner Mural has begun...

We had some unexpected delays this month, but progress remains steady. It's starting to take shape!

Wall Progress

2009-10-30T17:16:00.000-07:00

The walls are going up!

Ceiling-Continued

2009-10-27T12:44:00.001-07:00

Work continues. Apparently, it is very difficult work lifting sheet rock and attaching it to the ceiling. Thanks to generosity in every direction we can pay to have the work done.

Seacoast Security installed a new fire protection system as a donation to Wintergreen this week. I am constantly amazed by the community support and generosity we receive. I'm afraid "thank you" doesn't quite cover it.

New Wires & Insulation

2009-10-20T13:17:00.001-07:00

The activity continues. The wiring has been roughed in and the ceiling is being insulated. Stay tuned, it's almost time to sheet rock the ceiling and walls.

Approved

2009-10-09T12:01:00.000-07:00

Good news! The fire marshal has given us permission to move forward.

We've removed just about everything from the building, including the studs--which means at long last the de-construction is over and the new construction can begin.

Studio Furnishings

2009-10-02T08:25:00.001-07:00

This lovely piece of art from Peru was recently donated to Wintergreen for the Art Studio below.

Here are the colors of the studio cabinetry and the knob that will go with it.

The Tin Ceiling is Gone

2009-09-28T16:49:00.000-07:00

The tin ceiling has been completely removed. It now sits in piles ready to be hauled away. It couldn't have been messier work and we are all grateful to Jay & Daniel for doing it so well. Our coffers are running low. We've still only raised $55,000 of the $100,000 and we are just about half-way in the construction project as well.

We heard good news today from Fairpoint Communications that they planning to surprise us with a gift. We need lots of good news like that--and soon! Barbara & Jo York also volunteered their painting service to Wintergreen as a donation. Good news continues to come our way, but we are still a little anxious. The afterschool programming is scheduled to begin January 4th, which is looking closer all of the time.

Stay tuned. Electrical comes next.

Fond Farewell

2009-09-22T06:05:00.000-07:00

The tin ceiling is being removed today, more than half is already on the floor. The bright side is that buckets of dirt, debris and dust are coming down along with it. The new ceiling will be cleaner and more allergen free.

A good friend of mine said today, "if you can make something run on love, creativity, activism and community it will work."

Elevator-Gone

2009-09-19T11:44:00.000-07:00

The elevator has been encased in sheet rock and metal studs. The next layer of sheet rock will go up once the electrician and plumber have done their thing.

We just learned from the state fire marshal's office that we need to create a second exit. Which is discouraging news. It's going to require cutting an opening through a concrete exterior wall. (cha-ching $$) We also learned the historic tin has to go and must be replaced with several layers of sheet rock for better fire protection. After a few moments of despair we all re-grouped and started thinking about our options. I must tell you Wintergreen Art Center volunteers are a special brand of people. Within an hour of the bad news Todd Staples was running around the building with his tape measure, in the rain, creating a new plan. Robbin was on the phone asking for help, and MaryKay was cooking up a special fundraiser. Messages were flying in every direction with suggestions and my husband was also gearing up for another really great pep talk that worked.

The day finished with good news from the Presque Isle Kiwanis Club. They handed Wintergreen Arts Center a $750 check this afternoon. It kind of made the bad news seem a little less dire. Thanks Kiwanis, your timing and generosity were great!

Watch your step

2009-09-14T12:01:00.000-07:00

Between deliveries and pulling stuff apart things are a bit messy today.

Going, going...

2009-09-14T11:47:00.000-07:00

The abandoned elevator shaft is being sealed off today. We don't want anyone falling to their deaths so Jay & Daniel are using metal studs and several layers of drywall to make sure it is fire safe and child safe. By the end of the day, it will be gone without a trace.

Dry Wall Progress

2009-09-08T17:58:00.000-07:00

The drywall and sheet rock are being repaired right now. Next week it will be the floors.

2009-08-27T14:51:00.000-07:00

Hours of volunteer help has led to a completely stripped building. Barbara & Joe York donated many hours of their time to strip the old wallpaper and prime the tin ceilings. Other volunteers like Jamie Francomno, Matt & Dianna Leighton, Henry Young, Shannon King, Jake Buob, Keely Sawyer and several UMPI & NHS students helped remove fake brick last winter--it was a huge dust storm. (In retrospect, there was probably an easier way to have done it.)

Window Painting

2009-08-27T14:35:00.001-07:00

I had to scrape off some of Skye's lovely work because we needed more interior light.

Skye is working on a fabulous window design to hide all of the changes going on inside until our grand opening/unveiling party. You can get behind the scenes glimpses here until the paint comes down.

Behind the Radiator

2009-08-27T14:30:00.000-07:00

Jay and company have been moving radiators so the floors can be refinished. We discovered several generations and layers of wall coverings behind this one.

The First Day

2009-08-25T18:27:00.000-07:00

This is how it looked the first time we saw it. It's an old building that hadn't had a tenant in ten years, so things were a little rough. The faux brick and shutters have been removed, and the windows replaced with an energy efficient variety.

Future Bathroom Chandelier

2009-08-25T16:53:00.001-07:00

Ta-Da! This chandelier was an ebay find. An old brass chandelier was given a fresh coat of paint and lots of colorful bangles and glass beads to create this one of a kind light fixture.

Future Bathroom

2009-08-25T16:42:00.000-07:00

Midway

Before

This was a bathroom that was long forgotten and rotten to the studs. The moldy walls, out-dated fixtures, and aged vinyl flooring have been removed. The pipes have been capped and it's almost a blank canvas for our contractor Jay to work some magic . Kelly from the Kitchen and Bath Shop in Presque Isle has been helping us with our plans. It's going to be beautiful!

The Maine Arts Commission funded this project with a $25,000 Capacity Building Grant. (http://mainearts.maine.gov/organizations/CulturalFacilities/index.shtml)