For sixteen years now, the Heartwood College of Art has been committed to encouraging emerging artists while nurturing raw talent. This year, this small college took on a huge, new supporting role as Maine’s regional affiliate for the 2009 National Scholastic Art Awards. Heartwood College of Art’s President, Berri Kramer, compared their faculty to a “very small posse” yet they took on the very large commitment to make this year’s Regional Scholastic Art Awards happen: putting much time, effort, and compassion into recognizing Maine’s young artists.

At the Heartwood College award ceremony held for student recipients, President Berri Kramer expressed her fear for the continual lack of Maine’s youth art representation. She considered this when deciding on whether or not Heartwood College should take on the challenge of being Scholastic’s Art Awards 2009’s Maine affiliate, “At this time last year the Scholastic Art Awards in the Great State of Maine had been given up for dead. Would this be the second year in a row that there was no presence of Scholastic . . . one of the most important art competitions in our country?” However, Ms. Kramer and the rest of Heartwood faculty’s fears were quickly dissolved once it was evident Maine’s high schools were on board. With a total of 48 high schools participating, Maine’s Scholastic Art Awards was back in business.

Once word got out that the Scholastic Art Awards was going to “happen”, art teachers from all over jumped on the opportunity to showcase their students’ work. Representation of student artwork has been needed for a long time now – finally, there was an opportunity that could supply this demand. It was evident to Lewiston High’s own ceramics teacher, Jody Dube, that Lewiston High art students deserved to be recognized for their artistic efforts. Mr. Dube had every right to believe this, considering Lewiston High School managed to walk away with 14 out of the 66 awards given to Maine students. During the awards ceremony Mr. Dube, as well as Lewiston High School’s other art teachers, was the first teacher to be recognized for his outstanding job of organizing and presenting his students’ artwork.

The role of ‘Fine Arts’ will play in future generations even though its importance to young artists of this day and age can often be overlooked. However, it was clear to everyone who participated in this year’s 2009 Scholastic Maine Art Awards; their artistic talents did not go unnoticed. Heartwood’s President Kramer ended with a lasting outlook on art, “This is a story about how art is made. It has to come out in the world. It is not really finished until someone sees it and acknowledges it.”