Summer Art Enrichment Program 2018
The Kent Historical Society will offer five weeks of Art Enrichment Programs for children this summer. There will be opportunities for young artists from ages 5 to 12 to explore their artistic talents. This year will feature new classes in a variety of mediums and new instructors.
The Historical Society wants to foster arts education for young people in our area to honor the memory of George Laurence Nelson, a pre-eminent 20th Century artist known for his portraits, landscapes and florals, who lived at Seven Hearths for many years and bequeathed his 18th century home to the Kent Historical Society to operate as a museum.
Some comments from parents: “The instructor was great and the projects were so creative.” “She enjoyed the group creation of comics. The creative interaction was fun for her.” “She enjoyed the chance to immerse herself in painting.”
KHS believes that arts education and other forms of cultural enrichment are essential to a young person’s whole and healthy development. The Society offers Summer Arts Enrichment to encourage children’s innate creativity and boost creative thinking and problem solving, while expanding their experience and appreciation of the arts.
Classes take place in the Kent Historical Society’s “Art Barn,” an indoor/outdoor space on the campus of the Historical Society’s Seven Hearths property, facing gardens and a woodland that will be used as extended classroom space. At the culmination of each class there will be an exhibition to allow parents and family to see all of the creations completed through the week.
Registration is not complete until payment is received, either by check or online. Space is limited in each class. Fees are $110 for non-members and $100 for members per session. Join as a Family member for $50. There is no discount for partial week attendance.
Final registration deadline is June 12. Checks to Kent Historical Society may be mailed to KHS, Art Enrichment Program, PO Box 651, Kent, CT 06757.
Refunds for Summer Art Enrichment will only be made up until 30 days before the child’s class begins, if we are able to fill the space with another applicant, less a $30 deposit/administrative fee. Membership fees are not refundable.
Week 1 Sessions Cancelled (due to low enrollment)
Week 2 Sessions Cancelled (due to low enrollment)
Week 3 What the Art? for ages 5-7, mornings 9 am to noon, July 16-20
Children will explore interesting ways to create something new, like torn paper, collage, shapes and colors, everyday items, photos, and other alternative mediums. We’ll use picture books as inspiration from celebrated illustrators such as Eric Carle and Leo Lionni. Then, expand to other methods, and create artwork based on our own stories. Combining different styles will allow students to create a look of their own. This class is led by Wendy Clery, who has a love of exploring her own creativity and is the owner of Illuminate Life CT, which offers creative-based coaching through classes and workshops. She previously taught art to local veterans at the Danbury Veteran’s Center.
Week 3 Homes of the Wee Folk for ages 8-12, afternoons 1-4 pm, July 16-20
Learning aspects of architecture and sculpture, students will imagine a tiny woodland creature and build a home based on its needs and likes. We will plan out the structure by sketching ideas, then use clay, sticks, stone, plants, and/or found objects to make it come to life. Students will include accessories and plants to create a piece of their creature’s world. If weather permits, we will use the garden for a fun photo shoot. Students will use their sketchbooks all week long to imagine what the structure could be and transform their ideas into reality. This class is also led by Wendy Clery. She is modeling this session on a workshop that she’s offered to children in the New Milford area.
Week 4 Transforming Paper Into Art for ages 5-8, mornings 9 am to noon, July 23-27
Joy Gaiser is a retired music and special education teacher and was honored to be chosen the Teacher of the Year in New Milford for the 2010-11 school year. She also was the president of the New Milford Historical Society for 7 years and ran the summer colonial crafts program at their one-room schoolhouse with a fellow teacher. She will teach the children to make paper from recycled paper, learn about color utilizing a variety of mediums such as crayons, markers, and watercolors and techniques such as mosaic resist. They will also do some creative paper folding activities and have a chance to embroider one of their own drawings or sew a catnip mouse if they prefer. Each child will be given a sketchbook to explore their own creative ideas.
Week 4 The Art of Paper: Creating, Using, Folding for ages 8-12, afternoons 1-4 pm, July 23-27
Joy Gaiser will also lead these students in paper making from recycled paper, petals, glitter, grass, etc. She will show the children how to turn this paper into greeting cards and thank you notes. Calligraphy will be introduced, and each child will receive a calligraphy pen. The class will make an agamograph with premade pictures or pictures that they created themselves which will require careful measuring, folding, and cutting. They will learn to draw some 3-D shapes and designs which will include a review of the color wheel and how to use it. A variety of mediums will be used throughout the week and ways to use each. Each child will design a simple stencil to use on a papier mache item they decorate, and each will be given a sketchbook to make notes and for their own ideas and sketches.
Week 5 Session Cancelled (due to low enrollment)
