BETHEL – The impressions of elementary school remain in the mind. The opposite has recently happened in Bethel area schools and is about to be unveiled, due to an innovative artist-in-residence program through the Mahoosuc Arts Council.

With the guidance and vision of ceramic sculptor, potter and arts instructor Randy Fein, the impressions of dozens of SAD 44 fourth- and fifth-graders will be left for many future generations on three clay relief murals at the Andover, Woodstock and Crescent Park (CPS) elementary schools. The largest mural is slated to be unveiled at the Crescent Park School on Wednesday, June 17.

“Concepts of Creativity” is the theme that Fein chose to inspire the students, who helped construct and design large tiles with three-dimensional textures and shapes using whimsical images embodying creativity in music, dance, theater, visual art and poetry.

“It is through these creative endeavors that kids really find true meaning,” said Fein, who credited Mahoosuc Arts Council Chairwoman and CPS Art Teacher Tera Ingraham with making the artist-in-residence program possible.

Ingraham worked for over a year piecing together the program, which included three extended trips Fein made to the area to work with more than 550 pounds of clay and more than 70 children.

The clay consists of a self-hardening type used in Andover and Woodstock and conventional clay for CPS, which has a kiln for baking it. All three pieces will be handpainted by the students with acrylic paints under Ingraham’s direction.

Fein is a ceramic sculptor, potter and arts instructor who teaches ceramic art at Unity College.

She owns Mountain Studios in Lincolnville and is part of the Art Space Gallery of Rockland. Fein’s work has been exhibited in local, national and international exhibitions and is held in public and private collections.

Fein has been awarded more than 18 public art commissions to create mixed media and ceramic relief tile murals for libraries, colleges and other public gathering places, including Babson College in Wellesley, Mass., Castleton State College in Vermont, Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor and the Vocational Center in Westbrook.

The Mahoosuc Arts Council is nonprofit organization that works to support and advance the arts and humanities in the adult communities and school systems of the Greater Bethel Area with the support of SAD 44, Gould Academy and local businesses and individuals. For more information, go to www.mahoosucarts.org or call 824-3575.