Since 2003, the Brick Store Museum has proudly recognized graduating Kennebunk High School students for their excellence in the fields of art and history. Based on the recommendations of their teachers, students are suggested for the Edith Cleaves Barry Art Award and the Joyce Butler History Award in June of each year.
The Joyce Butler History Award
The Joyce Butler History Award is awarded to a student for demonstrated excellence in history. This award is named for Joyce Butler, a Kennebunk resident who served for 18 years as Kennebunk’s Town Historian. Butler is a widely published author of local history and is perhaps best known for her book, Wildfire Loose: the Week Maine Burned, about the fires of 1947 that swept through Maine.
In honor of her continuing commitment to local history and historic preservation, the Museum annually assembles the book award as a set of books and materials focusing on the importance of studying the past.
In the interest of assisting the student with his/her history pursuits, the Brick Store Museum also offers a complimentary one-year museum membership for the student to use the Museum as a free resource.
The Edith Barry Art Award
The Edith Cleaves Barry Art Award is awarded to a student with demonstrated excellence in art. The award is named for Edith Barry, who founded The Brick Store Museum in 1936 in an original 1825 brick general store, to celebrate the history, art and culture of the Kennebunks. She was an American artist that trained in France and New York City. Throughout her life, she traveled around the world to capture the beauty of both landscape and society.
Due to the Museum’s partnership with KHS to exhibit student work in our annual springtime Student Art Show, we are often already familiar with the artist’s work ranging from 9th – 12th grade. The Museum annually assembles the book award as a set of books and materials focusing on the importance of art in our developing culture. Like the history award, the Museum also offers a complimentary one-year museum membership for the student to use the Museum as a free resource.
Interested in creating an award at your school?
Schools in York County are welcome to contact Cynthia Walker, Executive Director, at cwalker@brickstoremuseum.org or (207)985-4802, to discuss creating a Museum-sponsored award for your students. The Museum seeks to encourage students in the fields of art, architecture, anthropology, history, museum studies and archaeology.