The Bay School Cultural Arts is an arts and cultural organization that works to promote the arts in the under-served rural areas and to support working artists. In addition to lessons and workshops., the center offers lectures, demonstrations, film festivals, exhibits, other cultural events and programs. In all of our activities we strive to fulfill our mission statement: “There is an artist within each of us, it is simply the vehicle that varies.”

     Wendy Wells founded the Bay School in 1997 as the Mathews County School of Country Arts. Today the Bay School Cultural Arts Center occupies a recently purchased 4,000 square feet facility on Main Street in downtown area of Mathews Courthouse. In addition to new classrooms, the building now houses fully equipped studios, an extensive art library, a retail art supply store, performance and exhibit space, and a Teacher/Student Gallery.

     The curriculum offers a wide variety of classes and workshops in the visual and performing arts. Among visual arts are basketry, boat building, chair seat weaving, bookbinding, china painting, collage, drawing, embossing velvet designs, flute making, fabric designs with dye, hooked rugs, hand-painted silk items, weaving, glass flamework bead making, fused glass buttons and beads, painting glass, slumping glass, painting with watercolors and acrylics on various materials, sculpturing and more. Performing arts include ballet, drama for business, professional performances, play writing, guitar simplified for everyone, making music and storytelling.

     The Bay School also pursues and implements with other organizations and agencies. They are a statewide partner of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and a member of other local, state and national art agencies. Following are examples of the current programs.

     “Discovery and Development through the Arts,” (DART) is an after school program for economically challenged and at-risk teens. The DART Program will be implemented this fall in partnership with the Public School System, Social Services and a local Community Foundation.

     Through the Bay School, the Middle Peninsula District of Virginia comprised of six rural counties, was accepted into the National Arts Program, funded by the Leonard Andrews Foundation of Pennsylvania. This is the first time that a rural area has been accepted into this program. Planning is underway, with the actual event to begin in April 2002.

     Other special projects being pursued include: T.R.A.S.H., a recycling arts program; “Tools of the Waterman,” a program to teach and preserve the crafting of the tools used for working on the water, a Rural Arts Program (RAP) for teens, and “Drawing on Your Memories”, a senior citizen project to visually record memories.

     The Cultural Center is located on the Middle Peninsula, which has a total of approximately 89,000 residents. In addition to the local residents, the school draws students and participants from all over the state of Virginia, the East Coast, and from as far away as Texas and Louisiana. Through our website, community outreach and publicity/promotion, the geographical area of our audience continues.

     You may enjoy browsing in the Gallery where art of both teachers and students makes a delightful display. Fine art paintings, fiber arts, glassware, jewelry, baskets and other works of art are for sale for yourself or a gift.

     Wendy Wells, not only founded the original school but serves as director of the larger venture, teaching many of the classes. Her career in the arts includes photography, video work, participation in the International Arts Exposition, Director of the Dare County Summer Arts Program, substitute teaching at the local community college, and instructing of arts and crafts classes, both private and public. She remains active in the local civic community, is a sought after public speaker, displays her work in galleries, having won various ribbons in juried shows.

     If you cannot get to The Bay Cultural School, then let the School come to you! Contact Wendy Wells to custom-design a curriculum for your business, organization, resort facility, school or place of worship. Most classes are available in workshop form, and can be a powerful incentive to invigorate your organization, and entice customers.

     Contact The Bay School Cultural Arts Center: Phone 804-725-1278; e-mail arts@inna.net; web site www.bayschool-arts.com. For an ongoing calendar of events for the school, go to www.chesapeakestyle.com and click on calendar. 

© 2001 Catherine C. Brooks All Rights Reserved.