7th Annual Summer Art Camp
Moon Dog Pottery Art Camp is Fun, learning, friendship, art, creativity, freedom to express and encouragement.
Art Camp introduces children to a variety of fine art and craft activities designed to develop strong ability and creativity. Study of the arts increases self-image, motivation and can contribute to a positive outlet for emotions.
A quality summer art program taught by professional artists with years of collective experience. Providing a multi-medium format that allows children to explore many focuses.
| Our 5 day program is from 9a.m.-3p.m. daily and offers an introduction to: | ||
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Our return campers explore in depth wheel throwing and hand building pottery, painting, sculpture, weaving, 2D and 3D design and much more with an emphasis in the medium of their choice. We provide all materials needed for all art projects. We provide snacks and drinks as well as games and physical activities to round out your child's day.
| 2012 dates | |
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| June 18-22 | July 16-20 |
| June 25-29 | August 6-10 |
| July 9-13 | August 13-17 |
Art Camp: What to Expect
Monday morning at about 8:45 children begin to arrive at art camp. Some of the children have come to art camp multiple times others are here for the first time. They are all excited that it is Monday morning the first day of camp. Through research and experience I have developed a series of art and craft projects that l hope will engage and entertain as well as challenge and teach the children who attend our camps.
Over the years we have witnessed children develop friendships and bonds to one another and by Friday part ways with the exchange of e-mail addresses and phone numbers, sometimes meeting summer after summer to be friends together again at camp. Usually by Wednesday the bonds are beginning to be established. We wanted to help the children get to know one another sooner so we created a Monday morning cooperative warm up art project. We divided the kids into teams with a teen team leader. We then gave them a clue and together they had to find a 3x5 instruction card hidden somewhere in the yard for the first step in the warm up project. The instruction card gave them some interesting information on using lines to create design compositions in art and on prepared canvas's set up on easel's the kids worked together to create the beginning of their cooperative art project. The first instruction also contained the second clue and after the completion of the first instruction they set out to find instruction number two. There were 5 instructions in all and contained in the instructions were tasks that had the kids explore line, color, texture, balance, patterns and cooperation.
The conclusion of the project had the kids laughing and feeling part of the team early in the week rather than later. The teams worked together on other projects throughout the week and were led by their teen team leader. The team leader was also there to help encourage kids who were experiencing any kind of trouble and to lend hands on help to our younger less dexterous campers and to our special needs campers.
Our pottery studio is home to the art camp and the children especially love to get their hands on clay. So for two mornings of the week we work in clay. I work together with each child on the wheel doing a hand on hand technique designed to give the kids an experience on the wheel while helping them to feel successful making a small pot on the pottery wheel. While the children take turns on the wheel the others are at our outdoor studio tables creating small hand built coil pots, pinch pots and elbow pots. The pottery session ends at lunch each day.
After lunch we begin a weaving project. Each child is issued a lap loom to work on for the week then they are turned lose on tubs of brightly colored and textured yarn. Children form a plan quick for their art work when the materials are readily available. We love to see the works progress. Midway through the week we hand make beads to add as embellishments to the weavings, finishing by Friday with a woven and embellished wall hanging of many colors and textures to treat the eye and hand.
A virtual tour of the cave paintings at Lascaux France begins our day on Wednesday followed by a project in cave painting. Using a limited palate of color and on brown paper the campers create a painting in the style of cave painters while telling a story that they will later share with the group. During this project we enjoy a visit from our very own cave women. She comes in costume and while telling a story demonstrates how the paintings were created on the cave walls. Cave women is always a big hit with the campers.
It's always hard to believe when Thursday rolls around. Projects are nearing completion. The week has been prosperous. Pottery gets glazed on Thursday and loaded into the kiln. Wind socks fly in the breeze. Paintings hang all around the studio. The handmade portfolios are bulging with art. I breathe a sigh of relief as I see how the campers have enjoyed art camp.
Friday morning I am up and out to the studio before the sun to crack the kiln open and begin the cooling process. Later the campers begin to arrive filled with anticipation, they are excited to see their pots come out of the kiln.
Today the weavings will be completed throughout the day and then hung on the lines for everyone to see. There is always a big round of applause when another weaving is hung on the line. I guess its a way for the kids to congratulate each other for a job well done. The day finally comes to an end. Boxes for each camper are piled high with projects and pottery and portfolios are stuffed full. The children and the parents are happy. It's so long for now but hopefully we'll meet again next summer with all new projects and some new friends.