About Me

And in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make.

Lennon and McCartney

My name is Jessica Hamilton-Jones. I am an artist and an art teacher for the Waterville Alternative Senior High School in Maine. I was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1968. In 1989 I received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. I lived for many years on Long Island, New York, where I dedicated two decades of my life to raising my four children, including twins and an autistic son. During this time, I moved to Maine in 2007 and worked as a florist, eventually opening my own small business. As a single mother struggling with extreme poverty, I worked with my family on the renovation of two dilapidated farmhouses in rural Oxford and Hancock Counties in Maine. My life took a positive turn in 2016 when I moved to Winslow with my children and my new husband.

While working full-time as a museum educator for the L.C. Bates Museum and simultaneously returning to college, I learned to love combining the natural sciences and history with art education. I received my second bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Maine at Augusta in 2018. After completing the teacher certification requirements, I found my current position at Waterville Alternative High School. This is the ultimate teaching placement for me because, through art education, I can help students overcome some of the same adversities I faced. I completed my Master of Art in Interdisciplinary Studies in Maine Studies from the University of Maine. My final project is a culmination of my artistic talents and passion for education. Stay tuned because the best is yet to come.

my kids

Resume

Jessica Ellen Hamilton-Jones
jhamiltonjones@aos92.org • 124 Clinton Avenue Winslow, Maine 04901 • 207-346-0931
https://anartistssenceofplaceinmaine.wordpress.com/


EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MAINE 2022
Coursework in Alternative Education
UNIVERSITY OF MAINE, 2019-2021
Masters of Interdisciplinary Studies in Maine Studies Program
UNIVERSITY OF MAINE AUGUSTA, December 2017
Bachelor of Arts in Education. Graduated with honors.
CENTRAL MAINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, Auburn, ME. 2015
Coursework in Education
SOUTHAMPTON COLLEGE OF LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY, Southampton, NY. 1992
Graduate courses in Education
VERMONT STUDIO SCHOOL, Johnson, VT. 1989 Summer residency program
PRATT INSTITUTE, Brooklyn, NY. 1989
Bachelor of Fine Arts /fine arts major/ Graduated Magna Cum Laude
SCHOOL OF THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, Boston 1988 Summer Program


EXPERIENCE
WATERVILLE ALTERNATIVE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL, Waterville, ME. 2017-present
Art teacher
MID- MAINE REGIONAL ADULT COMMUNITY EDUCATION, Waterville, ME. 2022-present
Art teacher
COLBY COLLEGE, Waterville, ME.
2022 Green Block Studio collaboration Developing Your Artistic Practice
2019 Sum Camp Math Program
Art teacher
SHARED LIVING PROVIDER: Living Innovations and Families Matter 2018- present.
L.C. BATES NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM at Goodwill Hinckley ME. 2015-2017 /Museum Educator
NEW LAND FLORIST, Ellsworth, ME. 2012-2013 /Manager/ designer
ARTISTRY IN FLOWERS, Gorham ME. 2010-2012 /Owner/ designer
DODGE THE FLORIST, Portland, ME. 2009-2010 /Designer
SOUTHAMPTON NEW YORK PUBLIC SCHOOLS DISTRICT. 2003 /Substitute teacher (k-8)
ONCE UPON A DAYCARE, Southampton, NY. 2002 /Substitute teacher
HAMPTON DAY SCHOOL, Bridge Hampton, NY. 1994. /Assistant Art Teacher (elementary school),
summer session
PHILLIPS ACADEMY, Andover, MA.1990 /Assistant Art Teacher (high school), summer session 1990


INTERNSHIPS/ SHOWS/OTHER RELATED EXPERIENCE
MAINE ART EDUCATION ASSOCIATION MEMBER EXHIBITION @ Maine College of Art, Portland,
Maine. 2022
THE ATRIUM ART GALLERY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MAINE MAEA 2023 exhibition
WATERVILLE CREATES, Waterville, ME. 2019- present co-founder of Art Kits For All Program
NATIONAL ART EDUCATION ASSOCIATION 2022 NYC. Spring Conference. Panel presenter for Art
Kits For All Program.
MAINE ART EDUCATION ASSOCIATION Fall Conference at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts
participant. 2018,2019,2020,2022
ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION OF MAINE ASSOCIATION 2022/ 2023 conference participant.
UNIVERSITY OF MAINE: 2021 The Jack Pine Project:
MAINE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION: 2020, Interdisciplinary Arts Integration workshop with Kora
Sol from Rural Aspirations
MIRIAM SCHAPIRO. Bridgehampton, NY. 1991 / Studio Assistant
VERMONT STUDIO SCHOOL. Johnston, VT. 1989 /Summer studio residency with Wolf Kahn as a
visiting instructor
SELINA TRIEFF. New York, NY. 1988-89 / Studio Assistant


CERTIFICATIONS
Maine Teaching Certification, 620, Visual Arts, K-12
American Heart Association Heartsaver CPR AED Certification
CRMA certified to administer medications for shared living