Art Camp will feature Native American theme

Published 10:00 am Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Art Camp for Kids 2010 Registration will be held July 12 – 16 and July 19 – 23. The week long camp will be open to kids age 8-11 and 12-15.

It is sponsored by the Council of the Arts, Inc. Summer Art Camp and will be held at Artscape Gallery in Pell City.

The theme for Art Camp for Kids 2010 is “Going Native–Native American Art.”  During camp, children will learn about the kind of art used by Native American tribes.  Projects will include authentic Tee-Pees and the symbolism behind the artwork.

Children will make wall hangings from clay, medicine bags and deer horn necklaces out of real buck skin, leather and deer horn.  They will make a spiritual Sundance Skull that was used during Pow-Wows.

They will also make Symbol Stepping Stones.  There will be a camp tee shirt project for kids to take part in as well.

“All of the children that have come over the years have been really pleased with it,” Carol Little of the Council of the Arts said. “They take the things they make home and they can enjoy them.”

“They’re so proud of their work,” Penny Arnold, who will be instructing the kids on the glass mosaic stepping stones, said. “Hopefully, parents encourage them in art and one good thing is that they’ll have art in their homes (at the end of the camp.) They come back year after year.”

The instructors said that while the kids are learning about how to make the art pieces that they will also be getting a lesson in Native American culture. The students will learn about what different symbols meant to American Indians and get hands-on experience with how some of the art is made.

“The boys really like mixing the concrete,” Arnold said of the stepping stone project.

Janice Entler, who will oversee the spirit clay project, said that she will be teaching the students about the Sun Dance ceremony and how it fit into the lives of American Indian traditions.

Organizers say they are excited about this year’s camp and are sure that the children will enjoy learning about the Native American Indians and the different art forms that were part of their culture.

There will be slots open for eight  campers per class, giving each child an opportunity to learn in a small group appropriate to their own age group.  The younger group will have a class in the morning and the older children in the afternoon.   Times are 9:00 a.m. until noon and 1:00 p.m. until 4 p.m.  A mid-morning and afternoon snack will be served. The cost is $20 per class.

Little said that the classes are offered for either week so that every child who wants to participate could get a chance to attend.

The classes are small and will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis soparents are encouraged to fill out an application as soon as possible.  Some adjustments may be made to combine classes if both weeks are not full.

Please indicate which week is preferable to your schedule.

For an application, contact the Council of the Arts, Inc. at 884-2787. If no one answers, leave a message and your call will be returned during business hours.