Behind the Scenes of Youth Art Month: An Interview with Elise Pelletier
One of the questions that we received the most when the PMA temporarily closed its doors in March was “what will happen to the Youth Art Month exhibition?”
Organized by the PMA and the Maine Art Education Association, the annual exhibition takes place each March and is beloved for a reason: it’s a wonderful presentation of young and diverse talent throughout the entire state of Maine, and a crucial opportunity to highlight the importance of art education and the inspiring work being done by our state’s educators.
Elise Pelletier
Elise Pelletier is one such educator, who works tirelessly for her students and to broadly promote art education. The Scarborough High School teacher currently serves as the state-wide coordinator for Youth Art Month. The PMA spoke with Pelletier before the exhibition opened in March.
How did you get involved with Maine Art Education Association and Youth Art Month?
I joined the MAEA about seven years ago, when I started teaching at Scarborough High School. I had taught in Brooklyn, New York, prior to working in Maine, and I wasn't a part of an art education association there. I felt like I was missing out on engaging with other art educators, so joining the MAEA was a great way to learn about other educators’ practices around the state. My involvement with Youth Art Month began a few years ago, when the MAEA Board was looking for someone to help with organizing the PMA show. It was the right timing for me, as I was looking for an outlet beyond my classroom to promote the amazing art that is created by students throughout the state.
What goes into putting the Youth Art Month exhibition together?
The PMA and MAEA have collaborated on this exhibition for almost 30 years. It’s a great privilege for both students and art educators around the state to have work displayed at the PMA, and we always get a great response from educators with student artwork that best represents the talent and creativity from their school. Working with Meghan Quigley Graham (the PMA’s Associate Educator for Youth Learning), we plan outreach dates, registration, artwork drop-off, and reception. Meghan really does all the heavy lifting to make the show fantastic and it's been a pleasure working with her.
Can you describe a particularly gratifying moment in working with the YAM exhibition?
Last year was my first year to help coordinate the exhibition. I presented awards to all the participating artists on stage and after I read each name, I would intentionally look out in the audience to see the family’s response. To see the joy on everyone’s faces was overwhelming. There is so much pride that can sometimes be overlooked when it comes to the value of creativity, and this event reinstates the importance of the arts.
This exhibition is so special for the kids, families, and teachers, but what do you hope that someone who is not personally connected to any of the participants might take away?
I hope that visitors to the PMA see this exhibition as a window into the future generations of artists and creative thinkers. Often, it’s easy to forget that the formative years for young artists can result in great work. The exhibition also provides a window into art education programs all across Maine. We think any viewer of the show would truly enjoy the talent that is represented.