Putting the A in STEM

I was invited to be a volunteer exhibitor at the 5th Annual STEM Expo sponsored by Portland Public Schools and Envirologix last Friday. Since many of my children’s books are nature-themed, I brought my collection of nature objects and some life-like toy models for nature studies with students.

The event was held at USM’s Sullivan Gymnasium, and it was like a trade show for careers in science. Over 50 exhibitors, ranging from ecomaine to Maine Total Weather to Engineers Without Borders to IDEXX Labs to the Electro Toy Company drew busloads of local students along with displays from King, Lyman Moore, and Lincoln Middle Schools as well as Deering High School and East End Community School. Several colleges were represented as well, such as USM Nursing, UNE Pharmacy, SMCC Biology, and U Maine Engineering, and many more programs.

I had to marvel at the logistics of pulling all these resources together to spark young minds. Bravo, Portland Schools! Of course, I didn’t have time to circulate and see all the other tables. I had my own corner of analog happening.

I brought titles such as A Porcupine’s Promenade, Here Come the Humpbacks, Island Birthday, Ana and the Sea Star as well as Rickshaw Girl, a Korean version of A Warmer World, , and a Japanese edition of Tiger Boy. I also displayed a couple of my sketchbooks, a big fake spider, a box of pastels, a deer skull, shells, feathers, stones, gems, bones, etc. Basically my traveling cabinet of curiosity.

I had these two original drawings on hand, since I’d been using them for Halloween collages.

I asked for a second table where students could sit for a few minutes and draw. Science begins with observation, and the likes of Jane Goodall, Rachel Carson, John James Audubon, and John Muir all studied nature with their eyeballs first.

My magnifying glass was useful for close examination.

Kids were quick to choose an object of interest, in this case a large moon shell.

My big horse conch drew attention, and kids took turns listening to the ocean.

One student spent considerable time capturing the proportions and texture of that shell.

I often hear people say (even MECA illustration students) “I’m bad at drawing ___________” (fill in that blank.)

The fact is, drawing is a practice. The more you draw, the more fluent you become. I’ve been drawing all my life, but the act of drawing is as much about the noticing. Slow, careful looking is how you determine where to make your lines. The end result may not be photographic. That’s what cameras are for. But direct observation brings understanding, of form, scale, and structure, more than looking at a photo.

Just look at all the decisions made here! Shape, shading, color, and detail!

The butterfly collection was popular.

How marvelous is this!

It’s fascinating to me how often people draw with the colors they are wearing. This hunk of amethyst was handled by many.

Some kids asked me how I became an artist. I began drawing a lot when I was their age, and didn’t stop. But when I discovered the Nature Lab at art school, I became intrigued by nature studies and began my own portable collection.

A few students gave me their drawings! This is by Kenadie, who loves collecting sand dollars and stones with stripes. I love everything about the delicacy of line and color mixing here.

This one had fun with my deer antlers. Did you know deer shed these every year, and grow them back? I found these, one at a time, in my back yard on Peaks Island.

Students asked, “can we draw anything?” and of course I said, “sure!” This boy told me these were glasses. I thought they could be 3D glasses, because of the two color choices. Perhaps he’s got a vision for optical futures as yet unknown!

It was a blast to engage with a steady stream of young minds with such sharp eyes. I also recognized some teachers from my school visits with Side x Side, and some students recognized me. But the big bonus was seeing my daughter’s first grade teacher!!! That’s her, Ms. Bufano, on the right, who now teaches fourth grade at Amanda Rowe Elementary.

I bow down to public school teachers: y’all are THE BEST people in the universe!

Ms. Savannah Mirisola and Ms.Tonya Bufano

This student asked if she could have this drawing, which happened to be in a mostly blank sketchbook. Yes!

After five hours, I was getting hoarse, talking over the din of the nearby table where the U Maine College of Engineering was giving kids static shocks, producing loud shrieks. I was taken by the quiet attention this artist gave to her rainbow of soft colors.

By 2 PM, I headed back out into the rain, just behind another exhibitor carrying a large rectangle wrapped in black plastic. He remarked, “They don’t know how to use a mouse anymore.” They assumed his big computer monitor was a touch screen. Technology is forever changing, and science, technology, engineering, and math will surely lead to futures unseen. But meanwhile, nature deserves our attention and wonder.

Thanks to Portland Public Schools!