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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (July 4, 2019)
Thursday, July 4, 2019 // 9 ‘IT’S WHAT WE DREAMED OF’ 17th Annual Cannon Beach Summer Art Camp promises art for all in multiple mediums By KATHERINE LACAZE FOr COasT WEEKENd T he Cannon Beach Arts Association’s annual Summer Art Camp has come a long way since its humble begin- nings in 2002, when about a dozen students took the only class offered. Yet the evolution of the camp to its current form – featuring 17 classes available to doz- ens of campers ages 3 to adults – wouldn’t have been possible without the foundation laid by former board members Barbara Tem- ple Ayres and Kay Aya. “It’s what we dreamed of,” Temple Ayres said. The 17th Annual Summer Art Camp takes place July 8-12 at the Cannon Beach Com- munity Church and Cannon Beach History Center and Museum. A Pop Up exhibition displaying camp- er’s creations will be on view at the Can- non Beach Gallery with an opening reception from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, July 13. Last year, about 100 campers attended the camp, and organizers expect a similar turn- out this year. Classes are offered in both three- and five- day sessions, and campers can select one morning class, one afternoon class or one of each for a full-day experience. For the second year, the camp also offers three adult-only class options. The various instructors, many of whom are professional artists or educators, are assisted by volunteers from the association. Temple Ayres and Aya, who were both educators at the time, originally established the camp as a way to support arts in the com- munity and augment the association’s arts education and outreach for young people. During that same time, the association was supporting a program to host mini work- shops in the schools, but “it seemed there was a need for a more in-depth experience,” Tem- ple Ayres said. Diversity in art Arts Education Director Meagan Sokol said she tries to offer a mixture of old and new topics and instructors. While the skills and techniques encom- passed in the class offerings lean heavily toward visual arts, providing the campers with tangible artwork to take home, Sokol said she is “big on the ‘s’ in arts” and ensur- ing they include other areas, too. Throughout the week, campers will be Adam Taylor will lead a class on stop-motion art. IF YOU GO 17TH SUMMER ART CAMP When: July 8-12 Where: Cannon Beach Community Church and Cannon Beach history Center and Museum Details: Classes in painting, 3d mask-masking, fiber arts, yoga, stop-mo- tion animation, printmaking, basket-weav- ing, comic book design and collage creation. scholarships are available. register at cannonbeacharts.org/summer- artcamp2019, email artcamp@cannon- beacharts.org or call 971-361-9308. engaged in painting, 3D mask-masking, fiber arts, yoga, stop-motion animation, printmak- ing, basket-weaving, comic book design and collage creation. The camp is designed to be family friendly, with many classes offered for chil- dren ages 8 or 9 to adults to support everyone developmentally, Sokol said. Temple Ayres instructs sketchbook mak- ing, which can be technical and challeng- ing, particularly for young children. She wel- comes the presence of adults in her class, but also takes immense joy in working with the adolescent campers. A camper paints a self portrait during last year’s Summer Art Camp. “I love being around kids,” Temple Ayres said. “I love their humor and their enthusiasm and learning something new.” A camp for everyone Organizers are focused on making the camp accessible and welcoming to artists of all ages. They also offer scholarships. Bilingual Summer Art Camp Assistant Andrea Suarez, who joined the team last year, translates print materials and offers onsite support for bilingual campers. Suarez recalls a particularly rewarding experience last summer when she went into A young camper proudly exhibits her work during a pop-up exhibit held at the Cannon Beach Gallery in conjunction with the Summer Art Camp. This year’s gallery exhibit of work by the campers opens July 13. a classroom on a Thursday and, upon speak- ing a few words in Spanish, was able to spark up a lengthy conversation with some preteen campers who were previously shy. “I thought, ‘I should have done this on Monday, these kids would have been talking up a storm,’” she said. Suarez hopes her presence and bilingual abilities help make campers feel comfortable, supported and motivated to return in future years. Sokol agreed, adding it’s another way to create an inclusive environment. “We’ve been reaching out to individuals from all different walks of life to say, ‘Hey, how can we support you?’” she said. “We want everyone to be involved that would like to come and make some art.” This year, organizers are also adding a “chill zone” to the outdoor space used for breaks to address the needs of campers with hyper-sensory sensitivity who may feel overwhelmed by the crowds and activities throughout the week. For young campers, seeing their art dis- played in a real gallery at the end of the camp “brings a sense of pride and confidence,” Sokol said. “It’s a really important part of the summer art camp experience.” CW
