Sweet Tree Arts, a place to spread creative wings

HOPE —Sweet Tree Arts, a low-profit socially conscious business with an educational mission, is also officially an L3C, which bridges the gap between an LLC and a 5013c organization. Sweet Tree Arts is a new community arts center in Hope Corner, located at the Sweetland Center, 4 Church St., by the Hope General Store.

What will I find at Sweet Tree Arts?

Arts programming - Classes and workshops for children and adults with a focus on visual arts and music.
For Educators: Teacher enrichment through the arts, and a Masters in Education through Lesley University Integrating the arts into the curriculum.
Two artists studios for rent - both currently occupied.
Midcoast Music Together classes with Jessica Day.
Open studio times on Mondays - come in, create and make a mess on our floor not yours.

What are your core values as a business/organization?

Sweet Tree Arts aims to educate, enrich and engage community through the arts. We hope to provide a space to inspire and create art and bring people together through the arts and community events. We aim to partner and welcome other organizations in collaborative projects. We also have a global vision of connecting students through dialogue and creative projects in countries near and far.

Why did you name it Sweet Tree Arts?

There are elements of history and also mystery in the name.

Sweet Tree Arts is a part of the Sweetland Center. The Sweetland Center was created by husband and wife team Chris and Lindsay Pinchbeck. The Sweetland Center comprises two buildings, the art center and a workshop, home of Pinchbeck Pipes (Chris' business specializing in making Scottish Smallpipes) and it will also have available a two-bedroom rental apartment above. We named the center after Wade Sweetland who built the original building on the lot circa 1822. The original house built by Sweetland was a focal point for the town as the local meeting place, inn and tavern. Sweetland acted as the town's first postmaster. In the process of building the Sweetland Center, the original frame of the home was saved, reconstructed and now comprises the frame of the bagpipe workshop.

What are examples of collaborative projects?

Sweet Tree Arts invites existing programs to use the space and explore community through the arts. We seek venues to create community arts projects for a community arts program for high schoolers. Mid-Coast Solid waste has offered us space for our first project this spring. We collaborate with Hope Elephants, through elephant drawing classes and supporting Hope Elephants, developing resources and workshops for educators.

Sweet tree Arts also welcomes Coastal Opportunities to the art center for weekly arts classes. We will work with the Guild - community clay studio, the new pottery studio that has found its home at the Hope Spinnery. Sweet Tree is eager to support the mission of Communities that Care and the STAR program.

At the heart of our mission, we explore community needs and provide creative solutions through the arts.

Who teaches the programs at Sweet Tree Arts?

The children's program is taught and developed by Sweet Tree Arts Director Lindsay Pinchbeck.

Sweet Tree Arts welcomes Dawn Smith Cote and Caitlin Schick as graduate level Interns to support the program. Both Dawn and Caitlin are enrolled in the Lesley M.Ed program beginning this spring at the art center. Teaching artist Alexis Iammarino will engage high schoolers in community arts programming and projects at the center also.

There will also be an ongoing variety of visiting artists who will offer workshops to adults at the art center, our first adult workshop is hosted by Amy Wilton, basic Lighting and basic photography are both offered. Upcoming visiting artists March — Carrie Hedstrom, Art Quilts; April — Kathleen Buchanan, Collograph/Printmaking Workshop.

Describe your teaching philosophy.

Children's classes will be small with a 6:1 student:teacher ratio.

Individual attention is key to allow for the greatest creative approach. If a child wants to explore an idea we will be ready to support through whatever medium or creative art fits the idea. If we do not have the skills to support the idea, we will find a mentor/artist that can. Most classes run for six weeks. Adult classes vary depending on instructor.

When will Sweet Tree Arts open?

Sweet Tree Arts will have an open house Sunday, Feb. 10, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Our first community event will be Saturday, Feb. 16. Sweet Tree Arts is pleased to invite Judith Black, a nationally recognized storyteller to host a Story SLAM. Five local storytellers have five minutes to tell a story based around the theme OPPORTUNITY. Stories will be followed by a light dinner and an performance by Judith Black. If you are interested in telling a story at the event, email sweettreearts@gmail.com.

Tickets $25 in advance available online or $30 at the door.

Judith Black will also run a teacher's workshop Feb. 16, from 9 a.m. to noon, integrating storytelling into the classroom.

A full line up of Arts programming and classes will begin February 25.

Lesley University's Masters in Education aims to start this spring, date to be determined.

To learn more and view class descriptions, visit www.sweettreearts.org.