A Summer of Artful Exploration

Summer camp is not just about roasting marshmallows, hiking trails and singing campfire songs. Across the state, kids and adults can explore all kinds of artistic endeavors, from pottery and printmaking to storytelling and performing arts. Here are just a few of the opportunities.

Explore ways different artists depict the world around them with the Durham Arts Council. Children from the ages of 5 to 12 will get a taste of arts and culture in different parts of the world including Brazil, Russia, France and Australia. Students choose from performing, visual or mixed arts tracks. For more information about these two-week workshops that run from June 15–August 7, call (919) 560-2726 or visit their Web site (pdf).

Whether you have toddlers learning their primary colors or teenagers preparing for college prep, Charlotte's Mint Museum has a variety of summer camps for all ages and interests. For toddlers and their parents, the museum offers 90 minute mini-master classes including Mountain Jack Tales and African Rhythms. The museum offers basic art camps for elementary school aged children, where they can explore printmaking, drawing and painting. The museum also offers specialty camps, middle school and teen camps. The camps and mini-classes run from June 15 through August 6. Tuition ranges from $35 to $300 depending on the class or camp and whether you are a member or not. For more information or to register, call Karen Vidamo at (704) 337-2098 or visit www.mintmuseum.org .

Introduce young listeners, ages 5 to 12, to chamber music and instruments through story and sound during the Keowee for Kids mini-concerts. The programs are designed to help children explore creativity through active participation in the musical experience. A free concerts is scheduled June 19 at 1 and 2 p.m., First United Methodist Church, Waynesville. For more information, contact www.keoweechambermusic.org.

Keep your children inspired this summer at The Bascom Art Center in Highlands. The center offers its Young Artist Program Summer Camp from June 23 through July 28 for children ages 5 to 13. For beginning to advanced students, the camp features crafts, clay, painting and mixed media. Drop in for one class or take them all. Tuesday classes are held at The Bascom from 10–11 a.m. (ages 5 to 8) and 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (ages 9 to 13). Thursday classes are held at Highlands Recreation Park from 1–2 p.m. (ages 5 to 8) and 2–3 p.m. (ages 9 to 13). The cost is $30 for a 6-class session or $5 per class. To register or for more information, call (828) 526-4949, or visit www.thebascom.org/youth-classes and click on "Young Artist Program Summer Camp."

Choose from several fun art workshops offered by Caldwell Arts Council in Lenoir. Make a piece of pottery at the Face Jugs Workshop for children on June 27. The class is facilitated by Michael Ball of River Birch Pottery and runs from 9 a.m. – noon. Cost: $30 per child. "Wet 'n Wild!" Experimental Watercolor for middle school students is taught by Kathryn Feierabend. Classes run from June 29 through July 2 from 1–2:30 p.m. Cost: $60 per student. "Legos & Other Building Blocks" comes to the Caldwell Arts Council on July 1–17 from 9 a.m. –5 p.m. Children and adults can bring their Legos, Magnet-X, Lincoln Logs, Erector Sets, puzzles, etc. and display their "sculptures" downstairs at the Arts Council. It's free to participate and free to view. For more information about these and other summer classes and registration deadlines, call (828) 754-2486 or visit www.caldwellarts.com.

Join the theater for the summer. Applause! Cary Youth Theatre offers process-oriented theater classes, camps and workshops staffed by professional actors, designers, directors and teachers. Their goal is to inspire confidence and creativity in young theater enthusiasts while encouraging the exploration and development of both skill and interest. The classes range from Drama Discovery to Musical Revue. For more information, call (919) 465-4792.

Check out the Community Council for the Arts (CCA) in Kinston for summer fun. The CCA is offering art-centric camps for children ages 3–16 years including the Moppets Summer Theater Camp. This performance art camp has a long history and has nurtured some of the area's most talented students. Campers will spend an intensive two weeks with four performance art instructors who will play a key role in preparing for their debut at the Moppets Theater performance June 26–27. Camp runs June 1–19 and June 22–26 from 9 a.m. to noon for ages 11–16, and 1 to 4 p.m. for ages 5–10. Community performances of the Moppets Theater production will be held June 26 and 27. The camp costs $95 CCA members/$115 non-members. For more information about this camp and other summer art camps, call (252) 527-2517 or visit www.kinstoncca.com.

These are just a handful of the many artful camps and classes offered across the state this summer and throughout the year. Visit the NC Arts Council Web site or your local arts council to learn more!

Camps Aren't Just for Kids

In the summer and throughout the year, opportunities abound for adults to have hands-on experiences in the arts.

In Winston-Salem, Sawtooth School for Visual Art features adult art camps in stained glass, fiber and jewelry and additional classes in drawing, photography and even decoy carving. The Bascom Art Center, which just opened a new six-acre campus in Highlands, offers adult classes in painting, printmaking, glass, fiber arts, ceramics and more. They range in length from one day to one week with notable instructors like potters Mark Hewitt and Cynthia Bringle.

The John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown offers weeklong or weekend classes throughout the year in a host of disciplines including blacksmithing, knitting, wood carving, spinning and writing. One-week sessions and eight-week "concentrations" in media including clay, glass, metals and more are available at Penland School of Crafts.

The Paul and Florence Thomas Art School in Glendale Springs offers painting classes in water color and pastels as well as writing instruction.

In Columbia, Pocosin Arts offers weekly classes and workshops during the year in disciplines including clay, carving and dance. Its "Cabin Fever Reliever" in February is an artful retreat with instruction in jewelry and metals, clay, mixed media and photography. College of the Albemarle's Dare County Campus features adult classes in metal smithing, welding, jewelry and photography.

There are artful opportunities to be found at Community Colleges this summer. Central Piedmont Community College features classes in graphic arts, dance, painting and writing. Craven Community College presents summer classes in painting, pottery and quilting. At Mayland Community College's Yancey Campus you'll find instruction in pottery and fibers. Randolph Community College features courses in painting and photography, and Roanoke-Chowan Community College offers classes in ceramics and fiber arts. Wilkes Community College features classes in basket weaving, jewelry making and woodworking.

Artspace in Raleigh presents summer classes for adults in drawing, painting, lithography and sculpting. The Raleigh Little Theatre offers adult performance classes in the summer.

Photography, filmmaking and video editing classes for adults are offered at The Light Factory in Charlotte. For music lovers, the Swannanoa Gathering features more than 150 classes in Celtic, old-time and contemporary folk music, fiddle, guitar, dulcimer, singing and dance during July and August on the campus of Warren Wilson College, just east of Asheville.

You can also find artful camps and instruction at your local museum. The Cameron Art Museum in Wilmington is offering three dance workshops in June and July with fees ranging from $5–$25. They include instruction in African folkloric dance forms and culture, community dance circle expression and African dance and hip hop. Click here for a snapshot of other North Carolina museums.