Summer at the Sid

School’s out, summer is in, let the drama stop and the ART begin!

What a wonderful time we have had with our Summer Art Camps! This year we hosted two, week-long camps: one for children between the ages of 6-9 years old and the other for tweens (10-13 years old). This year’s theme was Traveling Through the West!

Each day, camp began with a sketchbook warm-up to help jump-start their creativity. Campers spent time each day in the gallery looking at artworks from our permanent collection with the help of our docents. They also spent time in the studio daily creating their own works of art. Campers created several projects in the studio: air-dry clay pots/vases, acrylic painted landscapes, watercolor wildflowers, weavings, designing a brand and decorating a bandana, chalk pastel portraits and animal portraits. They were challenged to look closer, draw bigger, and explore their ideas and subjects!

Students also learned about what life was like in the West, who they might have seen, what they might have heard and saw, and discussed how they might have felt if they had traveled West. Campers spent time considering many perspectives of the West: the artist, the settler, the American Indian, the cowboy, and even the Pony Express Rider. These perspectives were explored through story-telling, reading, gallery activities and games, looking exercises, and dialog with our team and their peers. Our campers were so eager to learn and were a delight to have with us this summer!

Each camp finished with an art show. Campers invited their families and friends to join us at the Museum to take a tour and celebrate their artwork created at camp! Campers even went through some “junior” docent training so that they could facilitate the tour for their visitors. At the end of the art show campers were able to collect their artworks, but not before enjoying some delicious goodies…what would a kids’ art show be without cupcakes and cookies?!