News - An Artful Summer

For two weeks this past summer, 200 students immersed themselves in the world of art by participating in the Baltimore County Summer Art Enrichment Program. Over 10 days they worked with teachers and peers to create pieces that do what all great art does – inspire, surprise, celebrate, question, beautify, rethink, report, and explore.

Held at Perry Hall High School from July 10 – 21, the 2006 camp was co-directed by art teachers Sam Georgieff of Cockeysville Middle School and Kaytee Lurz of Middlesex Elementary School.

Artwork created at the camp by Adam M., Grade 3, Riderwood Elementary

“Many of our students are so committed to art that they participate in the camp every summer,” says Linda Popp, art coordinator for Baltimore County Public Schools. “Some students are there to build new skills or to try working in new media or styles. Many of the older students participate to build the portfolios they will need to apply for the Gifted and Talented or a magnet or college program or for an Advanced Placement course.”

For all participants, a typical day began with two hours of work in an art studio, followed by a break for lunch and recreation, and ending with discussions of works in progress and additional studio time.

Artwork created at the camp by Ariana V., Grade 6, Sudbrook Middle Magnet

Camp Co-director Georgieff notes, “One of the great aspects of the Summer Art Enrichment Program is that the students work as real artists, spending all day in studio art environments, building skills and learning new medium.This usually cannot happen in a normal school setting.”

During the two week camp, each group of students also took at least one field trip to do artwork on location.

Students entering grades 3-5 participated in a workshop called “An Exploration of Artists and Their Materials.” In this course, students were encouraged to refine their current art skills and develop new skills with different materials by experimenting with and using 2-dimensional drawing and painting media and 3-dimensional materials. Students learned about the artistic process as they solved visual problems, developed their own interpretations of the theme, and created their own art.

Still in process – the banner camp participants created for the WBAL-TV booth at Artscape

For students entering grades 6 – 8, the workshop titled “An Exploration of New Art Forms and Materials” challenged them to create unique works of art incorporating traditional art forms of drawing, painting, and sculpture with new processes in digital photography, computer graphics, mixed media, and others.

Older students could choose to participate in either the “Portfolio Development Course” (for students entering grades 9 – 12) or “Color and Light: Developing Skills in Oil Painting” (for students entering grades 10-12).

Still in process – the banner camp participants created for the WBAL-TV booth at Artscape

On the evening before the last day of camp, an open house and reception was held to give students, parents, and teachers an opportunity to share in the two-week experience and see all the art products created over the two week period.

On the last day of the camp, students celebrated with an Art Carnival. “This was the first year we held a carnival,” says Popp. “There were art-related games, tie-dyed T-shirts, and opportunities to create art. Students were involved in every aspect of creating the event.”

Artwork created at the camp by Garrett A., Grade 12, Towson High

“Also new this year,” Popp adds, “the students were invited to create a banner for the WBAL-TV booth at Artscape. It was featured on several of that station’s newscasts.”

For more information about the Summer Art Enrichment Camp, please call 410-887-4030 or click here http://www.bcps.org/offices/visual_arts/.

Story by Diana L. Spencer, communications officer. Photos courtesy of the Art Office.