Media Contact: Lindsey Goudreau, Marketing Communications Specialist (207) 443-8330 | lgoudreau@cityofbath.com
Bath, ME (September 30, 2021) – The walls outside Judi Main’s classroom at Dike-Newell Elementary School are covered in colorful dots, each one a piece of art created by one of her students. The project was inspired by Peter H. Reynolds’ picture book, The Dot, which tells the story of a young girl – Vashti - who claims she can’t draw.
In The Dot, Vashti’s art teacher tells her to make a mark on the paper and see where it takes her. She makes a single dot with her marker. The next day she is surprised to find that her teacher framed the dot and hung it behind her desk. Vashti thinks she can make a better dot than that and starts experimenting. In doing so, she discovers she can draw.
“I spend most of my time trying to encourage students to have confidence in their art,” Main said. “They are all amazing artists.” Main said she tries to expose her students to many different styles of art and media so that they don’t form opinions on the “right” way to make art.
The Dot has inspired so many children and adults across the world that International Dot Day was established on September 15, 2009. Main hopes that the lesson in creativity and courage that turned The Dot into an international celebration will stay with her students throughout the school year and beyond.