Charlotte Caron MAT ’23, was hired as a full-time art teacher at Westbrook High School, where they primarily teach sculpture classes. Recently, Charlotte collaborated with Portland's Historic Tate House Museum to showcase the exceptional work of their Sculpture 1 students. We had the chance to sit down with Charlotte to discuss the inspiration behind this project and the impact it’s had on their students. Additionally, we spoke with Holly Hurd, the Executive Director of Tate House Museum, to learn more about the museum's vision and its role in this meaningful collaboration.
How did this collaboration between the art program and Tate House Museum come about?
Charlotte Caron MAT ’23 (CC): In the spring, I began contacting a handful of local places and spaces on their openness and interest in showcasing the sculptural baskets. Tate House Museum is part of my daily commute, and I heard Ashley Page ’20 was showing work there around that time. After checking their website and doing a little preliminary research, I contacted the museum’s Executive Director, Holly Hurd. Holly and I bounced back and forth a bit before she quickly invited me over to the museum to see the space for myself and get a feel for what the museum is all about.
Charlotte Caron MAT ’23 at Tate House Museum in Portland, Maine. Photo by Kari Herer.
What were the main goals you hoped to achieve with this project?
CC: Through this project, I aimed to open students up to learning Wabanaki studies through a very hands-on approach, assist them in connecting to the land through the basket-making process, and tie in a contemporary artist whose work would captivate and provoke them to think about their identity in the process. Many students were initially intimidated by the practice and the materials. Breaking the lesson down into a research component, artist tie-in, and many video and in-person demos made the lesson accessible for all the sculpture students.
Were there any particular moments of discovery or excitement for students as they connected with the historical themes through art?
CC: I was completely blown away by the student engagement throughout this entire unit. From the moment it was introduced, through connecting with Tate House Museum, students were asking questions, eagerly diving into material use, and sharing their plans with other students. When it came time to show personal voice in their baskets, many students were thrilled to use and mix reed dye. My class is also a very visual learning environment, and students thoroughly enjoyed discovering contemporary basket weavers and seeing their work in books and through videos.
Student work on display at Tate House Museum. Photo by Kari Herer.
Was there any public involvement or exhibition of the student's work?
CC: After approaching Holly Hurd this past spring about showing the work, we also discussed the possibility of having a private opening for the students and their families. As the show grew closer, I worked closely with Holly and other members of the museum team to pick a day students, families, and Westbrook educators could come to the museum to enjoy the baskets on display. The event was a beautiful moment of connection, learning local history, celebrating art, and recognizing the young artists in attendance. Aside from the event itself, Tate House Museum had the baskets on display in one of the first-floor rooms for three weeks! The work was seen by visitors and guests at the museum as well as by students at local schools.
Student work created in the sculpture class taught by Charlotte Caron MAT ’23. Photo by Kari Herer.
How do you think your education in the MAT program at MECA&D prepared you for engaging in this type of community collaboration?
CC: While in the MAT program, we spent a large chunk of our time learning about museum education in conjunction with community partnership. One of my professors, Rachel Somerville, tirelessly hammered into us the importance of building bridges and forging connections whenever and wherever possible. While in the teaching program (2022-2023) we worked with folks at the Portland Museum of Art, Boys and Girls Club in Portland, Learning Works, Love Lab Studio, and a few others as well.
Can you share which Wabanaki artists or traditions were central to this lesson?
CC: There are a multitude of widely recognized and respected Wabanaki basket makers creating this work today. After students researched contemporary artists and learned who makes work in what area of Maine, we honed in on observing and responding to the work of Geo Neptune. Geo Neptune is a Passamaquoddy Two-spirit artist and educator from Indian Township, Maine. Their practice in baskets began after being taught by their grandmother, Molly Neptune, at the age of four. Students learned about Geo’s basket-making process via videos and close observations of their most recognizable baskets. This prompted students to think about ways they could show something “new” or something personal through the way their basket came together. Geo’s work centers around their identity through the application of color.
Of the collaboration, Holly shared, “Charlotte’s student project focusing on Wabanaki traditional basket-making as inspiration for the creation of woven basket art aligns with contemporary discussions about the need for everyone to gain awareness about the artwork, history, and perspectives of underrepresented communities. A more inclusive telling of colonial history is at the heart of Tate House Museum’s visionary mission to invite people to a widely representative experience of 18th-century life in Maine. Continuing to expand the histories we tell and being open to sharing the stories of all people who lived in the past creates an opportunity for the museum to make unique contributions to the dialogue of contemporary social issues. Community members can help redefine the role of historic museums by visiting Tate House and sharing their perceptions and ideas. Teachers and artists can enter into cooperative projects with THM that offer new ways for the public to learn and experience history as artist Ashley Page and teacher-artist Charlotte Caron have done.”
Learn more about the MAT program here.