Student artists, family, and supporters of the arts at the Lincoln Academy 2022 Student Art Show at the Coastal Rivers’ Denny Conservation and Education Center
More than 50 Lincoln Academy student artists currently have work on display at Coastal Rivers’ Denny Conservation and Education Center in Damariscotta. The show opened on Wednesday, May 4 and will remain open during business hours until May 18.
“The student art on display is really extraordinary,” said Kelley Duffy, LA’s Director of Curriculum and Instruction, who attended the opening. “The art is beautiful all on its own, but it’s also wonderful to see the complexity of who our students are and what they can do.”
LA junior Ella Appell stands with her self-portrait, created in Nina Sylvia’s Drawing II class.
The show features ceramic pieces made by students of ceramics teacher Jonathan Mess, paintings, photographs, drawings, and prints by students of art teacher Nina Sylvia, and small metal and jewelry pieces by students of art and design teacher Kate Mess. Many of the works are displayed on pedestals made by students working in LA’s Design, Engineering, and Technology workshops with funding support from the Albert F. Carlson Art Endowed Fund. While pieces are not priced for retail sale, contact information for each artist is available if visitors are interested in purchasing any of the pieces directly from students.
The Denny Conservation and Education Center is the renovated farmhouse at Coastal Rivers’ Round Top Campus. The renovations were completed and the center opened in spring of 2019, less than a year before Covid shutdowns in March of 2020, according to Coastal Rivers’ Executive Director Steven Hufnagel. “We are so happy to have this space open for a student-oriented community event,” said Hufnagel. “For two years we have not been able to host events here, and this space is meant to be used! The Student Art Show is an excellent and celebratory way to welcome the community back in to enjoy it.”
Senior Gabriella Hagar with her ceramics pieces at the LA student Art Show.
“As a senior during the Covid pandemic, I was so excited we even got the chance to have our art show,” said LA senior Gabriela Hagar. “I loved seeing everyone else’s pieces they had worked so hard on, and I even got to watch a lot of these artists improve over the year. It meant so much to me that I got my own spot among all these amazing artists.”
“The community response was overwhelmingly positive, it was such a joy to return to celebrating student artwork in this way,” said Nina Sylvia.
“It was so great to see so much support for our students, from their families, community, and faculty,” said Jonathan Mess. “I think it was the best faculty and staff turnout we’ve ever had. People were really excited to see the art show come back and have a chance to support the students who have worked so hard and been through so much.”
Coastal Rivers’ Denny Conservation and Education Center is open on Monday–Thursday from 9 to 4, and Friday from 9 to 12:30.
Below: Student artist with their work, which is on display until May 18, 2022 at the Coastal Rivers’ Denny Conservation and Education Center in Damariscotta.
