About Mrs. Spruce

Biography-

I have spent most of my life on the coast of Maine. As a young girl, I moved to Lamoine with my family and stayed through high school which I attended on Mount Desert Island. After a short pursuit of my education at the University of Maine, I moved to Greenfield, Maine with my husband and twin boys. A few years later, I returned to Lamoine where I still reside. I went back to school at the University of Maine where I finished my degree in studio art and art education.

I have been teaching art at Brewer High School since 2008. While raising my twin boys, I went back to school to get my art teaching certification after I realized how much I enjoyed being a visual artist myself, but also how much I wanted to be able to empower others through the study of art and the discovery of meaning in the visual world that surrounds them. Art education is a powerful tool for expression that helps students make connections between intellect and emotion. It involves the communication of, and the perception and reflection about, ideas generated from their own experience. It is my belief that students not only learn through the practice of creating, but also from looking at the intentions, purpose and cultural conventions associated with the visual imagery around them. It is my hope to promote the discovery of new knowledge through creative activity in a fun and energetic atmosphere that encourages self expression. All students bring to the classroom their own set of experiences, and therefore to the projects. I feel it is important to engage them in the curriculum and help them to realize their own personal beliefs and ideologies.

Artist Statement

“Since returning to the University to study art, I’ve developed a strong interest in oil painting. Within those explorations, I have found the desire to represent literal descriptions that communicate as abstractions. Relying on rhythm and composition, I like to play with the idea of placing objects within the canvas while at the same time inviting an emotional, even spiritual, connection to their content. For this particular set of paintings, I wanted to work with “cliché” ideas; boats, harbors, etc. and focus on different perspectives to bring renewed interest to the subject. Also, I wanted to reflect my own interest in the ocean and fishing industry with a concern for the changing nature of the coast that I see taking place in the present, while at the same time embracing the traditions of the past.”