By Heather Graves
Correspondent
GREEN BAY – Dozens of students from across Northeast Wisconsin are getting a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to show off their artwork on sails at this year’s Nicolet Bank Tall Ships Festival.
This is the first year for the Arts in Schools program as part of the festival.
Amy Shadian, event producer, said there are eight participating schools – Ashwaubenon, Algoma, Bay Port, Green Bay West, John Dewey Academy of Learning, Notre Dame Academy, Oneida Nation and Sturgeon Bay.
“We received eight sails that were generously donated by DorSal Sail & Canvas in Sturgeon Bay,” Shadian said. “They were lived in, but blank.”
The eight schools came together earlier this year to participate in a sail choosing event – where they each picked the sail they wanted.
“From there, they were given creative freedom to do what they like with (the sail),” Shadian said.
The sails themselves are huge – ranging in size from 16 to 20 feet tall.
“No one has really ever don’t art on that type of canvas before,” Shadian said.
Melanie Bradshaw Motiff, art teacher at Notre Dame Academy (NDA), said participating in the program gave her students an opportunity to work together and problem solve in a way they wouldn’t have had the chance to otherwise.
“The program provided a unique creative challenge and pushed students to work with unconventional materials and processes,” Bradshaw Motiff said. “Being a part of the Tall Ships Festival allows us to participate in a community event and bring awareness to our program and the work we are doing at NDA.”
Twelve students participated in creating the artwork for NDA – all were juniors and seniors as of last school year.
Bradshaw Motiff said the finished project is a testament to the creativity, skills and talent the student possess and the time and effort they put into their work.
Wanting to create a piece that went beyond a painting, the students from NDA based their sail design on the Great Lakes – featuring an illustrative representation of the depths of each lake to add interest and color.
“We wanted to create something that would relate to the Tall Ships Festival and knew the ships traveled the Great Lakes,” Bradshaw Motiff said.
While showing their work off to thousands during the festival is an amazing experience in of itself, there is also a prize up for grabs.
“There will be a fan voting on the sails during the festival and the school with the most votes will receive a $1,000 scholarship for their art program from the PMI Entertainment Group Foundation,” Shadian said. “Come to the festival this weekend and make sure to vote for your favorite.”
A quick peek at festival
Green Bay is once again hosting a fleet of nine vessels for Nicolet Bank Tall Ships – Santa Maria, Picton Castle, Pride of Baltimore II, U.S. Brig Niagara, Bluenose II, Utopia, Inland Seas, Appledore IV and Tall Ship Windy.
The Port of Green Bay is just one of only 11 ports in North America, and one of only seven in the United States that the vessels will dock at.
Some highlights of the festival include:
• Onboard and dockside tours allowing event-goers to learn about each ship.
• On-board day and sunset sailing excursions.
• Fireworks Friday night at 9:30 p.m. sponsored by the Green Bay Gamblers.
• Ticket Star Family Day on Sunday, July 28. Kids ages 5-12 are only $5.
• Multiple community-sponsored stages throughout Leicht Memorial Park in downtown Green Bay featuring entertainment for the entire family.
The ships depart Green Bay Monday, July 29 setting sail for Sturgeon Bay.
On Tuesday, the vessels depart for Algoma and start the Great Lakes Challenge.
More information can be found on the festival’s website at tallshipswisconsin.com.