Artworth installation brings art to Campbellford library
Students will add sculptures to the wall mural in July
The Artworth arts and nature camp for kids is getting an early start on summer. An artist has already laid the foundation for a painting and paper mâché installation at the Campbellford branch of the Trent Hills Library.
Art instructor Alex Lowe, who will teach painting to students attending Artworth classes in July, has created the mural of trees in the children's area of the library.
It will be a backdrop for sculptures of birds and plants that will be made by the senior campers this summer, who will be instructed by a new artist at the camp, Pamela Schuller. A community artist and arts educator with 30-plus years of experience, Schuller will be doing mosaics and paper mâché 3D murals.
Artworth, which started in 2006, will have more than 60 children at its four junior and senior camps being held this year in Campbellford and Warkworth.
You can already find children’s art created through Artworth in previous years at the Aron Theatre Co-op (a four-season tree painting) and at Westben (a bench made of ceramic tiles).
“We have 24 seniors in each camp week and 18 juniors with three adults and teen volunteers,” said Heidi Schaeffer, Program Director and Steering Group Leader.
Cost for a weekly program is $250, a rate that has not been raised for several years. Thanks to donations from friends in the community, there are bursaries available to help families that can’t afford that price. Email Artworth at artworthcamp@gmail.com if you need assistance.
“Artworth’s vision is to nurture a love of art and a deep sense of belonging to the land, to each other and our communities,” Schaeffer says. “Artworth sees inspired and connected young people becoming stewards of the earth and co-creators of flourishing communities. One of the best things about Artworth is the campers grow up into the teen volunteers and sometimes into staff.”
For example, camp manager Sarah Helm from Roseneath, who is returning for her third year, is a university graduate in childhood education studies.
“Artworth camps are welcoming and inclusive,” Schaeffer says. “We are committed to providing a caring and creative environment where our children can blossom and thrive.
“This year we are combining music and performing arts with visual arts,” she says. “So, the senior kids will learn to play songs on the ukulele and perform a story, in addition to experiencing painting, felting and paper mâché sculpture with professional artists.
“The second senior camp week is focused on bird language and behaviours, as well as trees, wood carving and nature connection. We will have interactive learning about and watersheds with the Lower Trent Conservation Authority. “
Also, there will be a field trip for both the junior and senior camps to Blades of Glory for time travel to the Middle Ages with falconry, archery, medieval dance and chain mail.
“At the junior camp in Warkworth, the children will do lots of art and music. They will learn to play melodic rhythms on Orff instruments (xylophones and glockenspiels) and incorporate music into a story with puppets.”
Classes start July 8 and there are two weeks for juniors, ages 6-8, and two weeks for seniors, ages 9-13. Registration is available online.
This fall Artworth is expanding its reach and launching an adult nature connection program with weekend workshops in birding, trees, sketching and nature journals, soil health and more, Schaeffer says.