From MES, with love: A mosaic of Milton

From left, MES fifth-graders Jillian Atkins, Paige Veil and Ari Estavo work on the weaving. (Emily Seigars photo)

MILTON - You could say it’s woven together a community.

When all is said and done, an entire school will have come together to create a mosaic of Milton, from the Pizza Nook to the

Farm Museum, from Cumberland Farms to the Town Beach.

With the help of artist-in-residence Sarah Haskell, Milton Elementary School fifth-grader have constructed a weaving that has had input from every student at the school, all the way up from kindergarten.

The project began about a month ago with art teacher Emily Seigars brainstorming with fifth-graders about what images they wanted to create on the weaving.

“They decided the content,” Seigars said. “They thought the hot air balloon demonstration at the Winter Carnival was very important.”

So the winter scene is depicted on the weaving, along with other images the students came up with that to them represented their community.

While the fifth-graders did most of the work, every student at the school drew a self-portrait that is part of the mosaic.

The weaving was constructed using strips of fabric, including wool, felt, and organza. Over a monthlong period fifth-graders worked about 10 hours each on the project.

Seigars said the passion they brought to the project was a beautiful thing to behold.

“To see them so engaged was wonderful,” she said on Wednesday. “And when we would have Sarah (Haskell) here they would really listen, there was full attention on her. They wanted to create something.”

What they created is a 4-foot by 6-foot weaving that will be permanently displayed in the school’s center hallway.

A ceremonial unveiling is planned for Wednesday at MES at 6 p.m. Refreshments will be served and the entire community is invited to attend.

The event will truly be a celebration of the community, and Seigars said it was truly a community effort. Many parents and staff became involved and donated supplies. Seigar’s husband built the loom. The school’s maintenance man is working on the wall fixture that will house the weaving.

Seigars said the project with Haskell would not have been possible without the support of MES interim Principal Chuck Mills who gave her the go-ahead to spend grant money on the artist-in-residence program.

“I chose to have an Artist in Residence with my portion of the funds,” she said. “I feel it is really important for the children to be exposed to artists other than myself. There is so much to be gained from talents that others possess.”

Haskell, a former art teacher, is a weaver from York, Maine, who travels all over New England mentoring art classes in various artists-in-residence and other projects.

And while she may have been at MES just a month, she left a lasting imprint on the school and its students.

“The all hands on deck approach made this a wonderful experience that no one will forget,” said Seigars.