"Not many people have a job they love and were trained to do. I’m lucky."

Artist, teacher Bryanne Thomas
“The paint was flying,” says Art Club organizer Bryanne Thomas, shown here at far left
along with Centreville Community School teacher Shannon Pearson and visiting artist Jody Coughlin.
With a recent bachelor’s degree in art education, Bryanne Thomas was the perfect match when the Andrew and Laura McCain Art Gallery was looking for a coordinator to develop their ambitious educational outreach initiative. She now plans and organizes programs that touch every one of the roughly 600 students at six elementary and middle schools from Bath to Centreville, NB. We joined her for an after-school Art Club at Centreville Community School.

You’re currently responsible for two school programs. Let’s talk about Art Afternoons first.
Art Afternoons are held at six schools and all students can attend. We bring in seven or more local artists and they each prepare a 90-minute lesson. I liaise with a teacher in each school and students can pick the class which interests them most. Last week we did one in Centreville and offered life drawing, watercolour, soap making, drawing with basic shapes, metal-smithing, even yoga.

What does yoga have to do with art?
Well, it’s about controlled movement and meditation which helps with artistic development. The kids thought it was cool.

And there are also after-school Art Clubs at the same six schools?
These clubs are limited to 20 students and they’re open to all on a first come, first served basis. Today’s lesson by Jody Coughlin was about the art of Jackson Pollack and the activity, based on his work, was drawing with strings and popsicle sticks. The kids loved that and were excited until the very end.

I know that you teach as well so you must have some interesting stories…
Yes, definitely. Last year I did a lesson on Picasso and showed some of his work. I pointed out how different his art is from a regular picture. Then I asked the kids to combine basic shapes ─ rectangles, circles, triangles ─ and do a self-portrait. Some kids worried that the portrait didn't really look like them. Once I suggested that it didn't really have to be realistic, they got all enthusiastic again.

Kids can be very self-critical and need lots of encouragement, I imagine.
I suppose we all are but our programs are designed to build self-confidence, to encourage them to try new things. We show kids how they can develop problem-solving strategies for art that they can use in other areas as well.

The kids enjoy it ─ and I get lots of hugs.

What other programs are you planning?
This summer, we’ll be offering a set of eight weekly art lessons for kids 8 through 14 as well as a four-day art camp for children 5 to 7 years old. Fees are minimal, $40 to $50, and we welcome sponsors who might be able to subsidize less affluent families. We have one donor already. [For more information about the children’s programs mentioned here, visit McCainArtGallery.com or call the gallery at (506) 392-6769.]

What are your own personal goals for the education program?
I’d like to be able to help students progressively. It would be nice if a five-year-old was still with me at 14, with no repeat lessons.

You’re also an accomplished artist in your own right with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and I imagine this job must leave little time for personal work.
True, but this is very fulfilling. At the end of the day I’m tired, very tired, but the kids enjoy it ─ and I get lots of hugs.

Each Art Club session begins with a short lesson given by Ms Thomas or another artist. Here, Jody Coughlin of Bristol shows the students paintings by Jackson Pollack, a major figure in the abstract expressionist movement.