Archive: Around Town

Acclaimed Encaustic Artist to Teach at Groton HS

This fall, as part of an Arts Education Grant from the New York Council for the Arts, award winning artist Kohlene Hendrickson will be sharing her passion for creating art with students at Groton high school during her two week-long residency. Hendrickson will be teaching the ancient process of encaustic painting using a medium made by combining beeswax resin and pigments.  Chad DeVoes' science class will be collaborating on the project by contributing the beeswax directly from the Groton student farm.

"We are doing a farm to art connection and we hope to get a little of our own beeswax, the whole idea of using our own hives to make our own pigments to make our own art is something Kohlene will show us how to do,"  said Art teacher Brookley Spanbuaer.

Using locally sourced and sustainable materials will connect the students directly to the art-making process from start to finish. Devoe's Food, Land and You class added two bee hives to their student farm last year. This year, students will harvest and filter the wax to contribute to the art project.

"It is a really exciting paint, it is very rare that people don't fall in love with it," said Hendrickson. "I love that it is natural but it is so rich, there is a smell that goes into the house when you're painting with it, (from) the beeswax, that is so beautiful."

Hendrickson also uses watercolor paints and oil crayons that she encases in wax.

"I draw really well, I am a colorist, but I was looking for something that is rich enough that doesn't need to be put under glass....it took me many years to put together what works to express my vision with the movement, color and richness that I wanted," she said.

Hailing from Geneva Switzerland, Hendrickson was born in California and worked as an illustrator and art director for many years before she pursued her interest in the fine arts, studying contemporary fresco in Italy. She began to show her fresco and mixed media art internationally in solo and group exhibitions, to much acclaim. Hendrickson will be staying in Groton through the month teaching and working on two large panels which will be revealed at the Groton Gallery on November 5, 2015.


Connections Kick Off

Connections is a new program at Groton high school this year, designed for freshmen to help them become acclimated to high school. Powered by the Connections network of advisors, teachers, and Peer Advisory Leaders (PALs), Connections was designed to create new relationships and to strengthen existing relationships for all freshmen. PALs are seniors or National Honor Society Members who foster the success of freshmen on multiple levels, by modeling values of kindness and respect and challenging their peers to continuously improve.

There are monthly mentor and mentee activities focused on creating a positive and tolerant school environment. The September kick-off was a chance for the 9th graders to meet the PALs, the teacher coordinators and the teacher advisors.

Upcoming events were discussed such as school assemblies on various topics focusing on success, leadership, community and character building.  "We emphasized that we are a 'family' and we need look out for one another and that we are all here to help one another be successful." Teacher coordinator Babs Carr said. The Connections network provides all freshmen with an environment connection, student connection, and community connection. The PALs volunteer their time to be available during the Connection events, as well as to tutor and connect with freshmen. Academic progress checks and tutoring are incorporated into the ongoing communication.

If a student has an interest in joining a club or an activity they are encouraged to do so and they have a network of support to help them. Connections has four coordinators involved, teacher's Chad Devoe, Mick Levick, Scott Montreuil and Babs Carr. Less than twenty freshmen are placed in each group, consisting of one teacher, a teacher advisor and five to seven PALs.

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