Journey into the wonder of the natural world as an artist and explorer. Spend time in nature, sketch, draw, and travel through the museum galleries to discover how artists are inspired and fascinated by the world. Venture out to see sculptures installed around the museum, and visit Phipps Conservatory to collect textures, shapes, and colors in your sketchbook inspired by nature. Use your senses to paint, sketch, design, and transform your ideas into your own outdoor artwork.
The last day to register for this camp is June 21, 2023
Learn more about Art Outside.
Discover the similarities between fine and applied arts in this interdisciplinary camp. Dabble in graphic design as you learn how to combine color, pattern, and textures to create textiles and wall paper. Explore the decorative objects in the museum’s collection as inspiration for your own, and collaborate with fellow artists to execute floor plans and stage an interior.
The last day to register for this camp is June 21, 2023
Learn more about Interior Design.
Explore a wide range of tools to try out marks, smudges, and textures that can become expressive works of art. Conduct art experiments and play collaborative games to leave room for unexpected results and discover how nontraditional materials and processes can fuel your creative imagination. Use our galleries as a source for inspiration as you look for artists who think beyond realism and traditional techniques and create art in innovative ways.
The last day to register for this camp is July 5, 2023
Learn more about Art Laboratory.
Become inspired by a rainbow explosion of color! Let’s delve into the Hall of Gems and Minerals and uncover the dazzling colors within. Then, recreate the vibrant hues found within our galleries and invent new pigments based on your favorite foods and memories. What color experiments would you make using paint, clay, and a myriad of other art materials? Travel through different art stations in your classroom that will allow you to play, create, and discover.
The last day to register for this camp is July 5, 2023
Learn more about Color Camp.
Unleash your inner artist and create some unique masterpieces with different materials and art processes in all sorts of funky ways. Mix colors and apply paint using unusual tools and techniques, create interesting textures by layering and combining materials, and experiment with stamps and transfers using different forms of printmaking. Explore the galleries to discover examples of the processes that other artists have used around the world and throughout history.
The last day to register for this camp is July 5, 2023
Learn more about Paint/Print/Paste.
Explore a variety of printmaking techniques, various inks and papers, and learn about best practices and studio safety. Acquire a fundamental knowledge of three printing processes: monoprint, relief print, and screen-printing while also experimenting with mixing processes and workshopping additional techniques. Gather important information regarding subject and style from our galleries and end the week with a varied portfolio of personal work.
The last day to register for this camp is July 12, 2023
Learn more about Print Lab.
Dive into a world of watery wonder! Harness the power of one of our planet's most amazing natural resources and use it to unleash your creativity. We'll discover the breathtaking effects of liquid watercolor paints through art experiments and go on underwater adventures without ever leaving dry land! Scavenger hunts in the library and trips to the Natural History Museum will take us on a journey to explore the diverse creatures that call the ocean home. We'll also play with water in all its forms, using it to inspire, paint, transfer, and transform. Get ready to make a splash and have some fun!
The last day to register for this camp is July 12, 2023
Learn more about Water Play.
Take off on an art safari through the museums and track wild animals in artworks and in dioramas that provide lifelike environments. Inspired by artworks in our Joan Brown exhibition, examine your own relationship with animals and use your pet or favorite critter as the main star in a painting or wearable mask. Make binoculars and field journals and then transform memories and drawings of notable mammals, reptiles, or amphibians into artworks that roar with color, pattern, and texture.
The last day to register for this camp is July 19, 2023
Learn more about Animal Art.
Grab your clay, scavenge for materials, and let's get creative. We'll sculpt hanging, standing, and sitting masterpieces. Take a look at the buildings in our community and explore the museum and courtyards to observe what kind of architectural wonders we can find. Work together with your fellow artists to build an installation that transforms our studio classroom into a playground of art and imagination.
The last day to register for this camp is July 19, 2023
Learn more about Build It.
Do you favor the watery worlds of Monet or the vibrant colors of Joan Mitchell? A landscape that looks perfectly real or an abstraction open to interpretation? Get to know great paintings in the museum’s galleries. Discover firsthand the wide range of techniques for applying paint from smooth as glass to thick and textured. Build your skills through daily experiments with a variety of painting techniques and color mixing strategies. Choose your favorite approach to create your own masterpiece.
The last day to register for this camp is July 19, 2023
Learn more about Painting Studio.
Learn how to decode artworks to determine what materials and tools were used to create them. Reconstruct chosen pieces using the same techniques and style to discover more about the artistic process. Uncover interesting facts about artists through library scavenger hunts and dig deeper into art conservation, curating, and installation by quizzing museum professionals.
The last day to register for this camp is August 2, 2023
Learn more about Art Experts.
It’s not trash, it’s an art-making tool! Get inspired and inventive with recycled materials and everyday objects to create extraordinary art out of the ordinary. Consider the way artists reduce, reuse, recycle, and respond to environmental issues. Then, draw, sculpt, and collage with a new material challenge every day and collaborate with your fellow artists to create an unconventional material art installation in your studio that will transform the entire space.
The last day to register for this camp is August 9, 2023
Learn more about Creative Re-Use.
Explore line, pattern, color, and texture through creative play and fun projects. Draw from observation and create abstract designs from your imagination. Observe how artists make marks in diverse ways and explore using unusual tools to make marks of your own. Work with a variety of drawing materials including oil pastel, chalk, and charcoal and try your hand at printmaking methods to bulk up your drawing tool kit.
The last day to register for this camp is August 9, 2023
Learn more about Drawing Explorations.
Apply left-brained thinking to a right-brained activity for unexpected results! Observe works of art in the galleries for ideas, and hypothesize some "what-ifs." Then head to the lab for experimentation. Ink, graphite, rubber bands, straws, paint brushes, paper, wood, plastic—let materials take you on a scientific-fun drawing journey. Record your process and results in your sketchbook/field journal and make a series of pieces based on your findings.
The last day to register for this camp is August 9, 2023
Learn more about Drawing Lab.
Explore a wide range of tools to try out marks, smudges, and textures that can become expressive works of art. Conduct art experiments to leave room for unexpected results and discover how nontraditional materials and processes can fuel your creative imagination. Layer mediums and processes like collage, photography, and printmaking to add interest and depth to your artwork. Use our galleries as a source for inspiration as you look for artists who think beyond realism and traditional techniques and create art in innovative ways.
The last day to register for this camp is August 9, 2023
Learn more about Mixing Medias.