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What kids will learn how to do: Meet our Summer Youth Class instructors

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Friday, July 10th, 2020

After guiding kids through online instruction during the last few months of the school year, the question now looms:

How to get through the rest of the summer, with so many camps, teams, and other learning and enrichment opportunities not in operation?

The Center for Creative Exploration’s  wide-ranging and robust slate of Young Artist classes, for students in grades 1-8, could be the necessary spark. The instruction is online, but there’s lots of real-time interaction from experienced teachers, and kids will end their sessions with new skills under their belts and finished projects to display.

Nearly three dozen classes strong, spread out over four weeks, PCA&D’s 2020 Young Artist schedule includes sculpting, printmaking, drawing, watercolors, collage, mixed media, comics, storytelling, paper quilling, papier-mâché, and more — plus, two classes the whole household can take together, no matter their ages. And, as a special feature, PCA&D and curio. Gallery & Creative Supply have partnered on curated art-supply kits that provide enough materials for several of the Young Artist classes.

Explore more!

We talked with three of our Youth Class instructors to find out what awesome plans they have in store, and what they’re most excited about teaching:

Two works by Shelby Young, who is teaching a series of classes in the Center for Creative Exploration’s Young Artist lineup this summer.

What are you most excited about for your class?

Susan Wheelersburg: Summer Sun Paper Sculpture: I’m excited to show students how the simple addition of paper mache to a flat surface design can give it added dimension and interest.

Watercolor Flower Painting: I’m excited to show students how a simple painted shape, when combined with their imagination, can be developed into all kinds of flower designs uniquely their own.

Paper Summer Trees: I’m excited to show students how something as simple as paper strips can be manipulated to make a fabulous imaginative tree.

Doodle Challenge: I’m excited to show students how the simple doodle patterns that they learn in this session can be applied to any subject matter that they already enjoy drawing.

Shelby Young: I’m excited to allow students to express their creativity through the various projects we will be tackling. No matter the project, I’m excited to allow students to bring a part of themselves into every project!

 

Work courtesy of artist Carol Aument.

Work courtesy of artist Carol Aument.

What will students in your class make? 

Susan Wheelersburg: Summer Sun Paper Sculpture: A sun sculpture that combines paper mache and paper quilling techniques

Watercolor Flower Painting: Two paintings, one in which they develop their own “floral style” and a second painting that allows them to apply that style to a simple still-life.

Paper Summer Trees: A relief tree made completely from painted paper strips. After some basic coiling techniques are demonstrated, the students will use their imaginations to create their own one-of-a-kind tree.

Doodle Challenge: The first assignment in this class will be to make a reference sheet of doodles, which they will use for the next two assignments. The second assignment will be to apply some of their doodle patterns to a simple design, and the final assignment will be to apply their doodle patterns to a painting developed from a drawing selected from their sketchbooks.

Carol Aument: We will be making a series of small watercolor paintings based on the Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai. The students will draw either Mt. Fuji or The Great Wave, depending on their class.

Shelby Young: Students will make a variety of projects through these classes: figure drawing, character building, world building, comic creation, portraits, etc. So I look forward to developing skills and techniques with my students.

art of a tree by Susan Wheelersburg

A watercolor tree, by Susan Wheelersburg.

 

Are there moments that have stayed with you from an early art class? 

Shelby Young: I don’t remember the first art class I ever had, but one that sticks with me is from elementary school. The teacher was very good at allowing us to explore our own voices no matter the projects we worked on. He allowed us to express ourselves.

Carol Aument: My love for art started in elementary school. I loved my art teacher and the experiences using unique and creative materials.

Susan Wheelersburg: I never took art classes. I just always did art on my own.

 

What is your favorite kind of art to make?

Carol Aument: My favorite medium is watercolor painting. Recently, I have been experimenting with collage and acrylic paint as well.

Shelby Young: I really like drawing portraits; it’s my favorite kind of art to create!

Susan Wheelersburg: Mixed media: Art that combines different art processes, like printing combined with drawing, or painting combined with collage.