Claudia Keglovitz’s classroom was a flurry of creative activity from artists last week.
She held her annual Teen Art Camp for 6-12 graders interested in art.
‘I just felt huge need in community for it,? said Keglovitz on why she started the camp eight years ago.
The camp introduces the artists to different techniques, and gives them a chance to explore ideas and to meet other artists.
‘They get to learn new skills and express themselves,? said Keglovitz.
Each day the students were presented with two projects. They could work on them or work them into a bigger project.
Keglovitz taught the students a new project called altered books. The students took old novels and turned them into sculptures.
Hannah Frame attended the camp for the first time this year and took it because she had Keglovitz as a teacher at the junior high.
‘Mrs. K is a lot of fun, that’s why I came,? said Frame. ‘You still have to do certain things, but you work at your own pace. You can work on whatever you want within reason.?
Erica Zentner, a member of Clarkston High School’s LEAD program, spent her time working on a painting to put over the doorway of one of her teachers.
The artists also worked on plaster reliefs, replicating photographs, sculpting, painting, drawing, and jewelry making.
‘We get intense kids that love art,? said Keglovitz. ‘They keep us hopping.?
Bailey Smith has helped Keglovitz with the camp for the last seven years. She graduated from Clarkston High School in 2005 and is continuing her art education at Center for Creative Studies in Detroit. She plans to be an art teacher.
Keglovitz is considering having a two-day portfolio camp to prepare students for when they are applying for colleges.
She would invite colleges to discuss what they look for in a portfolio. The next day the artists would take pictures of their work, put the pictures onto disks and prepare their portfolio.
The camp ended last Friday with a gallery opening. The students showed their family and friends what they worked on during the week.