Claudia Keglovitz’s Art Camp was originally for children 10 years old to junior high. This year, she opened it up to high school students.
Many students who had moved on to high school loved the camp so much they wanted to come back.
‘It’s fun doing all the messy projects you can’t do at home because your parents would get mad,? said Tessa Huttenlocher. ‘They welcome it here.?
Fifteen students participated this year July 23-27 at Clarkston Junior High. Parents and friends got to see the work students had accomplished over the past week at an open house July 27.
Keglovitz has been teaching art for the past 20 years. She started the art camp seven years ago, when some of the kids wanted to keep doing art over the summer.
Art camp is not supposed to be like school, kids are given the freedom to express their talent and challenge their artistic abilities in any way they want. This includes clay sculpture, painting, drawing, and charcoal.
‘Whatever they want to do we teach them,? said Bailey Smith, assistant.
Smith has been doing the camp for the past five years and is currently going to school to become an art teacher. She loves learning new things from the kids.
‘I love these kids, they taught me a lot,? she said. ‘They are the reason I want to teach art for the rest of my life.?
Courtney Parkhill, 14, said she got into art because she was always around it when she was younger, so art became her ‘sport.? It was her first year at the camp.
‘It was a great experience, it wasn’t like regular art class. You could do whatever you want, and they made it possible for you to do your project,? she said. ‘You also got to meet new people you didn’t know.?
Keglovitz also started an after school ‘art club? three years ago because she knew many kids who wanted to take art class, but couldn’t because they were in choir or band. Keglovitz loves being with young artists.
‘Hanging out with the teens, they are lots of fun. They have so many innovative fresh ideas,? she said. ‘It’s never a dull moment, and I get to learn about new bands and music.?