Miss Bea Johnson Program
Through a partnership with Clatsop County school districts, AVA works with students at Astoria Choice Acadamy, Astoria High School (AHS), Knappa High School (KHS), and Warrenton High School (WHS) to provide arts learning opportunities for students to build content knowledge and develop skills through:
Weekly arts curriculum at Gray School for Astoria Choice Academy students (K-12)
Regularly scheduled workshops with local working artists on and off the AHS, KHS, WHS and Gray School campuses
Workshops in or visits to artists’ studios
An annual field trip to Portland for AHS, KHS, WHS, and ACA students
Attendance in a post-secondary art class in Astoria and/or Portland
Participation in an annual county-wide student art exhibition at the AVA Gallery
Keri Domer - Miss Bea Program Coordinator
Keri has a Masters in Science Education, endorsements in Elementary Education K-8 and Art K-12, and has taught for 20 years. She combines professional experience working with students with passion for art and creative expression to put together exciting art opportunities for the youth in our community. We’re so happy to have her leading this vital AVA program.
The Miss Bea Johnson Fund was established by AVA in 2011 with a donation from local artists Noel Thomas and Pat Staton Thomas to support school-age artists and promote fine arts in the schools. The Fund is named for Noel's 8th-grade art teacher in Longview, Washington, Miss Bea Johnson, who motivated Noel to apply to the Art Center College in Los Angeles after high school. Thanks to her, he not only graduated from the college, but spent his working years in art and art-related businesses. He is now a celebrated watercolor painter, a member of the American Watercolor Society and the Northwest Watercolor Society.
This program is funded in party by AVA members and donors, with support from the foundations and local businesses listed below:
Oregon Community Foundation | Autzen Foundation | Reser Family Foundation
US Bank Foundation | Samuel S. Johnson Foundation | Herbert A. Templeton Foundation
Hampton Family Foundation | Fred W. Fields Fund | Irene Gerlinger Swindells Fund
Clatsop County Cultural Coalition | Astoria Coffeehouse & Bistro | Fine Art Supply
