Mt. Abe HomeArt Department Home
Faculty
Bruce Babbitt, High School Art Teacher
  • Attended the Art Students League in New York City during high school.
  • Graduated from the University of Bridgeport with a degree in Graphic Design.
  • Created graphics and advertising art for ad agencies, newspapers.
  • Art Director at MountainLake Television (PBS) and WCAX-TV.
  • Received a Masters in Education at St. Michaels College.
  • Began teaching art at Mt. Abraham Union High School in 2005.

“I love working with students to find ways of expressing themselves through a variety of media. Art classes offer students a chance to think creatively and solve problems in unique ways. I feel very lucky to be here with the students at Mt. Abe .”

Favorite Artists: Johannes Vermeer, John Singer Sargent, Paul Cezanne, Albert Bierstadt, Egon Schiele, Francis Bacon

 

Ellen Arapakos, Middle and High School Art Teacher
  • Graduated from the Indiana University in Bloomington with a Bachelor’s Degree in Germanic Studies and a Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science.
  • Graduated from the Maine College of Art in Portland with an MFA in Painting.
  • Taught studio art classes at the Community College of Vermont and the Shelburne Craft Center.
  • Worked and taught as Librarian at Lyndon State College, Flynn Elementary School, and Champlain Valley Union High School.
  • Began teaching art at Mt. Abraham Union High School in 2012.

“The best part of teaching art is when a student really likes something he or she makes and is proud to show their work to their friends. Anyone can be a good artist if s/he cares and invests time; it’s mostly perseverance.”

Favorite Artists: Édouard Manet, Eric Fishl, John Singer Sargent, Gerhard Richter, Winslow Homer
Elise Cleary, Middle/High School Art Teacher and Teacher Leader for Art and Music
  • Graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University with a degree in Studio Art and Art Education
  • Taught Art at Wooster High School in Ohio
  • Worked as a University Photographer and faculty member at Youngstown State University in Ohio
  • Worked as a Studio Photographer at Blass Advertising in New York
  • Began teaching at Mt. Abraham Union High School in 1995
  • Received a Masters of Education from St. Michael's College

"I love the fact that although I may assign the same project to a group of students I will get back as many different creative interpretations of that project as there are students in the class. No two days of teaching are ever the same. I feel so lucky to be able to pass on what I love to my students."

Favorite Artists: Andy Goldsworthy, Josef Sudek, Gustave Baumann, Dale Chihuly, Petria Mitchell.