Art and More Day Camp

Art camp can be a child's dream for summer time. At Art and More Camp in June and July, children will explore painting, sculpture and printmaking. Some previous artworks by campers can be seen on my website:   https://sites.google.com/site/artandmoredaycamp/camperartprojects.

I would like to help children afford to come to art camp for multiple days so that they can really progress and grow in experience with their art materials. Tuesdays and Thursdays in July I will be holding a six-session half-day art camp for children from Kindergarten and up.  To see more information about this art camp, check out: sites.google.com/site/artandmoredaycamp/half-dayartcamp. In June, I am also adding some new experiences including a week long art camp with drama and some days that include music with performances.

Why do we need your help?  

I have been holding art day camps for 5 years now and less and less children have been able to afford to come for any length of time, even though I have repeatedly reduced prices and given many "2 for 1" offers.  Finally, I let the parents choose to enroll their child one day at a time so that they could at least afford to get in some art. But that is not the best way to experience artistic creation.  Children need more time to learn how to let out their creativity and not be afraid to explore new ideas. So this summer I would like the children to be able to come for at least 5 or 6 days. And I would love to have some new, high quality materials.  I have about used up all the supplies that I have had on hand to donate.

Successful Experiment

Over the winter school break I ran a small Kickstarter project (Children Creating Art http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/747900586/children-creating-art?ref=live) to sponsor children to come to art camp for a couple of days. I had such an enthusiastic response from children who wanted the opportunity to come to art camp that I hired two helpers and hosted twice as many children per day than I ever had before.  We had a wonderful time! Those children, sponsored so that they could come for free, wanted to be there and were so well behaved--I can't tell you how much they impressed me.  They didn't even want to stop creating for break time. You can see some of their works in the slideshow above.

Creative Growth  

Excited by such enthusiasm, I would like to add to the art camp experience by adding more days and more professional materials. With more days at camp, we can get into projects that need time to learn how to work with the materials.  For example, acrylic paints and printmaking in multiple colors. And it would be wonderful to have the children put up a small show at the end and experience an "artist's reception."

What your pledges can do

• Sponsor all or part of the tuition for children
• Purchase easels for acrylic painting and reception display of artworks
• Purchase good quality paint and brushes
• Purchase printmaking supplies and the materials to "register" print plates to do multiple colors
• Purchase high quality clay
• Purchase mats and a mat cutter

Quick Time Frame

If you are considering funding this project, I hope you can make your decision soon and pass this information on to others who may be interested to donate.  I need time to notify local teachers how many children can be invited to come for free or a discount.  I will ask the teachers to identify those students who would otherwise not be able to participate in such an activity.  I will be able to move ahead with promotion and advertising as soon as pledges meet the funding goal.

What additional pledges will pay for

Because Kickstarter is "all or nothing," I have listed a minimum amount to fund this art camp.  Additional money pledged will be used to sponsor more children, hire more helpers, and purchase the materials.  It will cost at least $50 per student for the initial purchase of an easel and good quality brushes.  Those will be able to be reused at other camps.  It will cost about $15-20 each for a canvas plus a set of paints that the student will be able to take home to continue their creative endeavors. Printmaking supplies will cost about $100, or more if the group is large. And good quality air-dry or polymer clay is relatively expensive. In the past, I have had to limit the number of prints per student and the size of clay projects due to budget constraints.  I hope this time that we can let imaginations run free with enough materials to not worry about such limitations. 

For the artist's reception, funds can be used for matting the children's work.  I would love to be able to purchase a good quality mat cutter.

In addition, I am offering in June a one week art day camp that will include dramatic arts and two weeks of 3-days that will include music. Additional funds will go to lower the tuition costs for students at these camps as well.

THANK YOU and REWARDS

The children, parents and I truly appreciate each of you for your support and making this art camp opportunity possible. Your sacrifice to donate for the benefit of others is admirable and all donations, no matter the size, are much appreciated. 

I hope that you will enjoy the rewards. Those who will be receiving a T-shirt can choose if you want art from the youngest, intermediate or older students.  Following are samples of children's artworks from past camps (that they were willing to leave with me so the examples are not their best or favorite pieces but they still show you how delightful children's art can be).

I am open to substitutions for the rewards I have listed.  If the reward choice is keeping you from choosing your donation level, feel free to contact me. Also, there are other fun items that can be printed with a child's artwork such as an apron, plate, placemat and so forth. I am happy to discuss changes and suggestions.  

For those choosing an original artwork by the instructor, it will be a more finished piece than these examples which were created at a simple level for student motivation. You will be able to choose a piece and have it matted or painted on canvas: