Q&A with: Yasmine Forte, a virtual art teacher in Coventry

Feb. 27—Q: Where did your love and passion for art come from?

A: My parents have some artistic ability. When I was really little, they would always encourage me to do crafts, explore the material, and really have fun and run away with it with my own imagination.

My grandfather had a few major strokes and through his rehabilitation I noticed that a lot of things that the nurses would bring him to try and redevelop his motor skills, he wasn't taking an interest in it. At the time, I was really interested in origami because my art teacher opened me up to that avenue and he used to love watching me do arts and crafts. I figured I might try to help him and teach him origami. I was about 13. With that, I saw a spark light up in him, and he slowly but surely reached out for the paper, to try to make some folds. At first, they were a little clumsy because he was still trying to gain his skills back, but it was something that gave him a purpose. Those adventures and experiences together really pushed me that, yeah, art is definitely something in some way shape or form that I have to pursue.

Q: Growing up, was art one of your major interests?

A: Art is always something that has been a constant in my life. I've always found peace and a real drive to create and take simple materials and be able to transform them into something totally new. In high school, I took every single art class that I could. I figured, since it was such a constant in my life and it would provide me comfort when I needed it, I knew that it would always be a part of me.

Yasmine Forte

WHO SHE IS: Runs a virtual art class for elementary school-age children for the Coventry Parks and Recreation Dept.; substitute art teacher in Coventry; office assistant for parks and rec; summer gate keeper at Lake Wangumbaug, also known as Coventry Lake.

EDUCATION: Was valedictorian of Coventry High School class of 2015; earned bachelor's degree from Connecticut College in New London; in post-graduate program at Central Connecticut State University to teach art.

FAVORITE ARTISTS: Michelangelo, Vincent van Gogh; contemporary artist Agnes Cecile, an Italian watercolorist.

SPECIAL INTEREST: Focuses on public service announcements to destigmatize mental health. A friend in high school died a few months before graduation from mental health complications. Seeing how devastated the town and his family were, it struck a chord in her and she didn't think people should have to suffer silently. She tries to put out the message to just be kind to everyone because you never know what they're struggling with. "You never know their life story. Being kind goes a long way."

Q: How long have you been teaching art classes with the town?

A: That's a new program. We've only been doing it since the start of 2021. It's geared for elementary-level kids. I'm also a substitute teacher, so I've worked with these kids personally and I know how much they really enjoy art and making something.

Last summer we had a few calls (to the parks and rec office) about a few kids who are disabled, and they wanted to do something in parks and rec, but they couldn't participate in the sports components or programs that we had. It got me thinking, I want to be able to include every child who wants to participate. I decided, why don't we do an art class for the kids and see how it goes.

They're all themed. The one coming up in March is centered around pastel colors. In April, it's about springtime. It's three mini-lessons within the span of an hour and a half. The kids go on Zoom and I walk them through each one, then set them free to finish up on their own. I try to tailor my lessons for each kid to let their creativity and their own choices come through.

(Working in the parks and rec office) my boss, Parks and Rec Director Wendy Rubin) had me do some projects with illustration and graphic design and redesigning our town mascot. His name's Wangumbaug, Wongy for short, after the lake. He's super cute.

With every lake, there's a lake monster. Over the past few years that I've been there, we really wanted to do something with that, especially during the summer with kids out of school.

I drew a little cartoon lake monster doing Coventry activities. There's one of him at the (Nathan Hale) Homestead. There's one of him painting. There's one of him water skiing for the waterskiing show.

I've turned those into coloring book pages. They can go online, they can print them out. There're word searches with him, connect the dots, all kinds of activities. There's also a tab on the CoventryCT.org town website that says "Meet Wongy Our Lake Monster." I came up with a little story for him too. Being a lake monster might seem a little scary. I tailored him to look friendly and do things that the kids themselves enjoy, so it's more relatable.

Q: Is the arts program strictly for elementary age children?

A: Yes. If we think that there might be an interest to gearing it for middle school and high school then I already have a few ideas in the works. This program is a trial run to see how well it's received. So far I've gotten a lot of positive feedback, which is really heartwarming and rewarding for me because that's my goal. I really want people to enjoy the program and have fun with it, and not have to worry about doing it for a grade.

Q: Is it more difficult to teach art to children via streaming service versus hands-on work?

A: It can be. It has its perks. They feel a bit more at ease because they're in their own home, and if they have a question they can ask me right then and there, or if their parent is in the room, and they need a little bit of assistance. I think it helps give them more knowledge into understanding that there's different avenues of approaching the same kind of thing. I think that's what a lot of teachers are learning and trying to incorporate now with doing the hybrid model and also using Zoom and all that stuff. I'm still learning different aspects to Zoom. I do think that it's a handy option to have. It still keeps us connected in some way.

Q: What do you hope the program will become?

A: I would hope to get more kids involved. If COVID didn't exist, in an ideal world, I would love for it to be done in person in a classroom type of setting, maybe at our lodge (at Patriots Park) or something every Saturday morning or something like that.

Q: If anybody wants to participate, do they sign up through the town website?

A: They can sign up through the website or they can call our office and register.

Q: What are your personal long-term goals?

A: I graduate in spring '22 with a degree in art education. I would love to be able to work in any of the schools here. Growing up, my teachers were a core set of support group for me. They've been the ones to inspire me and provide me with some life lessons as well.

I want to be able to do that for kids, too, and bring it full circle and doing it in the town where they gave me so much. If it works out where I'm meant to be in another district then so be it, as long as I get to teach.

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