Behind the Smiles
The vivacious math teacher and tennis coach, often spotted around campus petting colleagues’ dogs and waving at the campus goats, unveiled a deeply personal struggle to the Peddie community during the Employee Art Exhibit held at the Peddie Arts Center.
Curated by Director of Visual Arts Cathy Watkins, the Employee Art Exhibit provided a captivating glimpse into the multifaceted lives of Peddie staff. Watkins said the idea for the exhibit originated with the impulse to invite the entire community into the Peddie Arts Center’s expanded gallery spaces as viewers and makers. “In the Peddie Arts Department, we strongly believe that everyone can be creative if they nourish those impulses with time and focus,” said Watkins.
Themed “Recycle, Repair, Reimagine,” the exhibition featured 20 employees who, with courage and vulnerability, shared their personal stories through various artistic mediums.
Woodsworth used photography, wire, fabrics and more to chronicle her ongoing battle with endometriosis. Through candid photos that portrayed her smiling, she revealed the hidden reality of her struggle with extreme pain, describing herself in “a state of repair.”
“This project is an exercise in letting me peel back the pain and picture, in bright color, how life could have been if the images told the whole story,” she remarked.
Sharing her experience with students, Woodsworth found it intriguing, stating, “Seeing your teachers in the classroom, you only know a little bit about them as opposed to who they actually are and what they are experiencing.”
Steps away from Woodsworth’s compelling narrative, Glenn Houskeeper, a groundskeeper at Peddie for over 25 years, showcased his passion for fishing in an exhibit titled “Fish On!” Using a fusion of bird feathers, animal fur and fishing gear, Housekeeper’s display transcended the mere act of catching fish. “Fishing isn’t just about’the catch,” he explained. “If you let it, and I have, fishing can get into your soul.”
Watkins expressed her delight at the diverse exhibits. “I was thrilled by the participation from all corners of our adult community, including a nurse, a groundskeeper, a security guard, a manager of marketing and communications, a garde-manger chef and a range of teachers from language, mathematics, history, science and the arts.”
The powerful stories shared by contributors left some attendees with a profound appreciation for concealed talents and struggles within their community. Communications Associate Lili Maciejak noted, “The exhibit gave me a perspective on fellow colleagues I hadn’t had before. I was surprised and moved by the openness and vulnerability that people shared with the community through their work, and I felt connected, emotional and inspired all at once.”
2023 Employee Art Exhibit Participants
Joyce Chen, arts teacher
Craig Wallace Dale, visual arts teacher
Jesse Facey, language teacher
Julie Heymach, chef
Glenn Houskeeper, groundskeeper
Trish Hulick, nurse
Yuto Iwaizumi, language teacher
Danielle Kelley, math teacher
Rachael Klaiss, science teacher
Pete McClellan, history teacher
Paul Meidhof, security
Alan Michaels, arts department chair
Karen Serach, librarian
Madelaine Shellaby, arts teacher
Taina Spicer, arts teacher
Megan Sweeney, marketing and communications manager
Amanda Vos Strache, history teacher
Cathy Watkins, director of visual arts
Paul Watkins, history teacher
Bronywynn Woodsworth, math teacher