Date:
SESSION 1: JUNE 9-15 (ages 6-12) 12:00-2:00 PM
SESSION 2: JUNE 23-30 (ages 6-12) 12:00-2:00 PM
SESSION 3: JULY 7-14 (ages 6-12) 12:00-2:00 PM
Location:
Bug Ceramics Pottery Studio & Gallery
291 Front St. Suite 216 Key West FL 33040
(Located upstairs inside The Shops at Mallory Square)
 
This is not your average creative summer camp! This is an intensive 6 day summer camp that focuses on teaching kids the many components of being an artist. Children ages 6-12  are invited to attend for five days of planning and executing a group art exhibition which will take place and be open to the public on the sixth day. Students will walk away not just getting the chance to learn pottery skills such as throwing on the wheel, hand building, & glazing but with the many other essential qualities required to be an artist including:
 
• Conceptualizing art show themes and devising pieces based on these themes. We want to get kids thinking about deeper ideas. Art show themes will center around concepts rather than literal subjects. For example, art show themes may include “growing up” or “kindness” rather than something so literal as “ocean animals” or “cars”.
To help children begin to comprehend the idea of creating pieces based on larger themes we will ask them questions that get them thinking. If the theme is growing up we might ask, “How does growing up make you FEEL?” And then we will help them to translate that feeling into their art.
 
•Naming art pieces & writing biographies for the pieces they create. During the process of devising concepts for pieces we will begin taking notes that will make writing piece descriptions, that break down and explain its ties to the overall theme, much easier. Collectors tend to appreciate works more if they know the story behind them. Students will need to answer questions in their piece descriptions such as “What feelings do you hope to invoke in the viewers?” & “What do the colors represent to you?”
 
•Writing artist biographies. Students will need to present an artist biography at our art show. They will need to make self-observations in order to write up a meaningful and informative artist bio that explains who they are, where they are from, how long they’ve been doing art, and why they love making art.
 
•”Advertising.” & “Pricing.” An important and difficult part of being an artist is getting your work out there and convincing individuals to attend your art shows. Students will be encouraged to invite those in their life to our art show including family friends, teachers, grandparents etc. via flier or phone calls.
Even more difficult is coming up with a price for artwork that is so entangled in yourself. We will work through the difficulties of putting a monetary value on something you’ve devoted so much time and self to. We will discuss our audiences budget and use that to come up with appropriate prices for our pieces, taking into consideration; time, materials, etc.
 
Art Camp Schedule By Day
 
Day 1 (12-2PM)
* Students will vote on an art show theme from 3 options: growing up, kindness,
* Students will plan two art pieces based on the chosen theme. This will be a rough draft and sketch of a piece that may shift over the next few days. One project will be a hand build project and the other will be wheel thrown.
* Finally we will all work together to create a group piece that will be raffled off. this will allow students to get a feel for clay and understand basic ceramics skills before beginning their own project. The funds raised from this group piece will pay for a student to attend Artis Camp who could otherwise not afford it.
 
Day 2 (12-2 PM)
* Students will start the day by observing a wheel demostración.
* Students will then create their first piece on the wheel.
* Students will write their artist bio.
 
Day 3 (12-2 PM)
* Students will create their second piece off of the wheel.
* Any free time will be spent creating sketches and decorations for their art show display.
* Students pieces will be bisque fired in the kiln that night.
 
Day 4 (12-2 PM)
* Students will spend the day glazing their pieces. This can be a long process as glaze needs 2-3 coats and must dry between each coat.
 
Day 5 (12-2 PM)
* Students will complete any glazing that’s left.
* We will prepare all written material using notes that were recorded throughout the week including: Naming Pieces, Piece Decsriptions, & Pricing Pieces.
 
SATURDAY STUDENTS WILL NOT ATTEND CAMP (I will be preparing the show.) THEY WILL RETURN SUNDAY FOR THE ART SHOW
 
Day 6 (5-7 PM)
* Sunday evening the art show will take place and open to the public. This will pine the first time you and your child see their finished pieces out of the kiln.
* Parents will be supplied with ““dollar bucks” a fake currency to purchase their own students art work.
* At the end of the art show students will have the opportunity to exchange ““dollar bucks” for real art supplies whoch they can take home and continue using the skills they’ve gained to create art.
* The winner of the group piece raffle will be announced at the end of the show.