ST. JOHNSBURY, Vt. (AP) - Retired Lyndon Institute teachers Mike and Cisi Flynn continue to be boosters of the independent high school in Lyndon Center, and to support its students, and one way they do that is through commissioning student works of art to donate locally.
This week, the latest in the Flynn’s commissioning of LI student artwork saw a reproduction of an antique Eveready batteries painting of a little girl shining a flashlight onto a mother cat and a litter of kittens in a darkened scene with many shades of blue.
Mike Flynn had bought a reproduction of the painting, on a rectangular piece of tin, and had the vintage advertisement tin at his home, and thought it would make a nice commission to have an LI student recreate and then donate to the newly opened Kingdom Animal Shelter on Portland Street.
The student who was recommended to make the oil painting was Emmallie Bailey, who recently graduated from LI and is headed to Northern Vermont University’s Johnson campus soon to study studio art, she said, at the Kingdom Animal Shelter last week when the painting was presented.
According to Mike Flynn, “Emmallie Bailey was a junior duck stamp winner this year at LI and under the direction of art faculty Barb Follett has done a beautiful painting for the Kingdom Animal Shelter of a mother cat and kittens.”
Flynn said, “Some years ago I asked Barb Eaton Follett if she had a senior student who she felt was particularly talented who might want to do a painting for pay as a sort of extra credit senior project.”
“The first few were football players given the status of ’The Game.’ I think one was a skier. Cisi and I wanted to give talented kids some cash for their work, some of which still hangs at school,” explained Flynn, who is also a former LI coach who has remained actively involved with the school as an athletics booster. He and his wife are also involved in the community, including the new shelter for cats which opened in St. Johnsbury.
Of the couple’s support of student art leading to donations to area organizations, Mike Flynn said this week, “One very fine piece entitled ’The Kick’ by Dan Aiken (LI ’08) is hanging in Thompson Cottage which was formerly the Headmaster’s house and now the Alumni Museum. Another hangs in the LI Student Center. Some loved their result so much they asked to keep them which was fine with us!”
Flynn said, “Cisi subs in the art program, and had she not been an excellent history teacher she would have loved to teach art, so commissioning a piece when possible is something she loves to do.”
“The piece by Emmallie was a perfect choice for us to sponsor as we are dedicated cat lovers and we were thrilled to hear that she was, too,” said Flynn of the most recent artwork commissioned by the couple, and presented Wednesday afternoon. “The result is a great example of Mrs. Follett’s expertise as a teacher and Emmallie’s use of that expertise.”
Flynn said, “We hope each year to commission a senior to follow in the footsteps of previous student artists.”
He made a little sign to go with the painting, which was presented to Kingdom Animal Shelter President Helen Morrison. The sign reads, “This painting is a reproduction, done in oil, from a mid-20th century Eveready tin advertising sign. The artist is Emmallie Bailey, Lyndon Institute 2019, under direction of Art Faculty Barb Eaton Follett and was commissioned by Mike and Cisi Flynn for the new Kingdom Animal Shelter.”
The couple, both of whom taught more than 30 years, both continue to sub at LI.
They both serve as trustees of the school, as well.
Cisi was the head of the student council for many years along with being the scholar’s bowl coach, her husband said. “I did a lot of coaching in x-country skiing, and track, plus was the pep rally guy prior to The Game for 30 years,” said Mike Flynn, of his role getting students and staff geared up for the annual square of with its football rival, St. Johnsbury Academy every fall.
“We officially retired in 2005 and former headmaster Dwight Davis as head of the alumni association, granted us full alumni status (not just honorary). So, not actual grads, but alums just the same,” he said when asked if they were once LI students.
He said, “We wear maroon and white not just on our sleeves, but in our hearts.”
Morrison, on behalf of the shelter, was very happy to accept the painting. Though only open a few months in the former RCT building next door to Wes Ward Auto, the shelter already has a nice art collection underway, with some prints of Stephen Huneck on loan from Catamount Arts, paintings by Barnet artist Trevor Holliday and more, and they were delighted to add an original feline oil painting by a talented local teen.
Emmallie, 18, of Lyndonville, was asked how many cats her family has, and she said they are expecting two more cats to soon move in, so they will have a total of five.
“That’s a mini shelter!” exclaimed Morrison with a smile.
Emmallie said she is best at oil painting, and chose that medium; she said she enjoyed creating the painting, and especially enjoyed bringing the kittens in the painting to life.
A small photo of the original Eveready advertising artwork will hang near Emmallie’s painting at the Kingdom Animal Shelter, explaining the gift.
Online: https://bit.ly/2LO36rp
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Information from: The Caledonian-Record, http://www.caledonianrecord.com
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