Inspiring Artistic Voices

Featuring Simsbury’s Educator-Artists

Exhibition Dates: January 11 – February 22, 2025

Opening Reception: Saturday, January 11, 2024   5pm – 7pm

Exhibition Hours: Thurs. 6 – 8 PM Sat. 10 AM – 4 PM Sun. 11 AM – 4 PM

Inspiring Artistic Voices celebrates the commitment to art education and creative expressions of Simsbury’s secondary art teachers. Beyond their roles as educators, these artists bring their passion for the artistic process into their classrooms, forging connections with students and the community. This exhibition not only showcases their artwork but also highlights the profound impact their commitment to their craft has on their students and fellow artists.

Featured Educator-Artists: Shannon Gagne, Stephanie Lauretano, Laurel Archambault, Kristie Arbesman, Thea Wilcox Ciciotte, Sara McLaughlin, Andrew Mullen, and Megan Lavoie

Events

• Artist Talk: February 1, 2pm. Listen to the educator-artists of Inspiring Artistic Voices talk about their own creative processes, inspiring their students, and the story behind their work. Free to attend! LEARN MORE.

About the Artists

Shannon M. Gagne is the Supervisor of Visual Art Education K-12 for Simsbury Public Schools, and an Art Teacher at Simsbury High School. She received her B.F.A. from Maryland Institute College of Art with a concentration in sculpture and ceramics.  Shannon has a masters of arts in liberal studies from Wesleyan and received her teaching and administrative certificate from Central Connecticut State University. Shannon is also an active member of the Connecticut Association of Arts Administrators.  Shannon is an exhibiting artist and most recently participated in a group show at the Hygienic Art Gallery in New London.

Stephanie Lauretano manipulates materials and processes as a way of exploring dichotomy and life identity in her work. She received her BFA in Painting and Glass from Alfred University School of Art & Design, her MS in Education from the University of Bridgeport, and her MFA in Painting from the Hartford Art School. Utilizing process as content, Stephanie focuses on burning and markmaking in her 2D and 3D works. Recent shows include Seeing the Unseeable at Atlantic Gallery, NYC and Grace & Grit at Northwestern Connecticut Community College, Winsted, CT. A high school art educator in Simsbury, she has also been an Artist in Residence at the Farmington Valley Arts Center in Avon, Connecticut.

Laurel Archambault is an Art Educator in the Simsbury Public School system. She also serves as a TEAM Mentor and Master Mentor for the Simsbury district. Over the past 5 years, she has also served as a National Portfolio Scorer for the EdTPA program in the area of Art Education and also serves as the Gallery Director for the Henry James Gallery. She received her B.A. in Language Arts at the University of Connecticut. Laurel also has a M.S. in Art Education from Central Connecticut State University, a 6th year degree from CCSU with a concentration in Sculpture and a 7th year degree from the University of New England. Laurel actively creates art, often donating pieces to such causes as “Art for Aids” Hartford, “Tails of Northwest CT” to benefit non-profit businesses, and “Artists for World Peace.”

Kristie Arbesman is currently an art educator at Simsbury High School and teaches a variety of classes: Fashion Design, Unified Arts, and Art 1. She has taught art in CT public schools for over 16 years. Kristie received her BS from Valparaiso University in Fashion Merchandising, Art, and Business in 1992. She received her teaching certification from Central CT State University in 1996, and her Masters Degree in Supervision and Leadership in the visual arts from Bank Street College of Education & Parsons School of Design in 2001. Kristie has participated in group shows at the Underground Gallery in Canton, CT, Elton Tavern in Burlington, CT, Artspace, Hartford – Art for Aids, and was a featured and participating artist at Artspace in Torrington, CT.   

Thea Wilcox Ciciotte earned a BFA from the Hartford Art School at The University of Hartford in 1997, and in 2011 an MALS degree from Wesleyan University. From 1999-2004 She worked as a collections and studio assistant for the renowned, conceptual artist, Sol Lewitt in Chester, CT. Thea has been an Art Educator at Simsbury High School in Simsbury, CT since 2004. For over three decades, she has been working with both non objective and symbolic narrative imagery. 

Sara McLaughlin is a Connecticut based ceramic artist, and art educator. Sara has been an art educator in Connecticut public schools since 2018. Currently she teaches in Simsbury, where she brings her passion of clay to the classroom. She graduated in 2018 with her Bachelors of Science in Art Education, from Central Connecticut State University, where she is also currently working toward her Masters.

Andrew Mullen is a visual artist and art educator living in Granby, CT.  He works as a graphic designer, illustrator, and freelance artist.  He has been teaching Art for the last 17 years and has found a home in the Simsbury Public Schools bringing his love for Art of all kinds to the classroom.  Andrews’ work appears in private and public collections throughout the United States.  He received his masters degree from Boston University in 2012 and is constantly pursuing new ways of expanding his knowledge of the arts. 

Megan Lavoie has been an art educator at Simsbury High School for over 10 years. She has earned her BFA from Uconn in 2009, Teacher Certification from CCSU in 2013, and Masters in Art Education from CCSU in 2019.  At the high school, Megan served as National Art Honors Society advisor and Simsbury Arts Association teacher and leader. Teaching photo, animation, and design in a computer lab setting has put technology in the forefront of her artwork. Past work has combined video projections over paintings and manipulation of photos to explore personal topics such as food allergies.  Her most recent show was titled “Food Circus”at the Stockman Gallery in New Britain, CT.

Windsor Art Center programs are made possible with support from Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, the Maximilian E. & Marion O. Hoffman Foundation, Roberts Foundation For The Arts, the Town of Windsor, community businesses, organizations, and individuals like you. To support our mission, please consider making a tax-deductible donation at www.windsorartcenter.org