Stark Museum of Art and Shangri La Gardens prepare for registration

Special to The Leader

Each spring, parents and area students seek new exciting opportunities for summer camps and classes. Art Quest Summer Camps & Teen Workshops offered by Stark Museum of Art and EcoRangers Summer Camps offered by Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center may be the path to summer fun that is educational, too.

These camps are designed to actively engage students and provide a way to experience art and nature that helps prevent student learning-loss during the summer months. All camps have a low student-to-teacher ratio, which enhances hands-on learning in all environments. Depending on the camp or workshop, students may explore a variety of ecosystems, study different critters, complete art projects and engage in many hands-on activities and active games. Camps and workshops are suited to align with learning goals that are specific to the student’s grade level, and there are offerings for kids in grades K through 12!

Art Quest Summer Camps

Teen Workshop – Print Power for Grades 6 – 12

June 27, 2017 (1pm – 4pm) Ever wanted to print on a real press? Well now is the time! Teens will create their very own drawings and designs to put through our printing press. They will participate in a print swap and walk away with a portfolio full of great art work.

Micro and Macro Art for Grades 3 – 5

July 11 – 13, 2017 (8:30am – Noon) Big and small, campers will explore it all! Zoom in on tiny things and make tiny things tall, shrink huge giants and make skyscrapers small! Campers will have fun playing with scale while exploring drawing, painting and sculpting techniques.

SENSEational ART for Grades K – 2

July 18 – 20, 2017 (8:30am – Noon) Create art that engages all your senses in this three day camp! Sound sculptures that jingle, culinary crafts that smell and taste superb, eye-popping op-art and smooth sculptures are all part of this “sense”-ational camp experience for all artists!

Teen Workshop – Self Portraiture for Grades 6 – 12

July 27, 2017 (1pm – 4pm) Learn how to paint a great likeness of yourself in this four-hour studio experience. Explore symbolism, technical skills and abstraction while you decide what makes you YOU!

Brush up with Landscapes for Grades K – 2

August 1 – 3, 2017 (8:30am – Noon) Flowers and bunnies and deer, oh my! For young artists who wonder about the specifics of landscape painting, explore plants, animals and environments represented in the SMA collection while creating artistic habitats of your own!

Movers and Makers for Grades K – 2

August 8 – 10, 2017 (8:30am – Noon) Campers will dance, play and wiggle while creating art that allows the practice of fine motor skills, coordination and creativity. From drawing with music to dancing in the studio, campers will experience a wide variety of art techniques.

EcoRangers Summer Camps

Nature Heroes for Grades 1 & 2

July 11 – 14, 2017 (8:30am – Noon) Explore the forest and meadow trails, tromp along the swamps and float down the bayou, all in search of the animals that call Shangri La home! As a Hero in training, campers explore the splendor of Shangri La’s wildlife, work toward earning their hero cape and become the heroes that nature needs. Costumes welcome!

Pow-Wow with Nature for Grades 3 & 4

July 18 – 21, 2017 (8:30am – Noon) Step back in time to when Native Americans lived in the area of Shangri La. Learn to live off the land by building a natural shelter, tracking animals, weaving with natural materials, working with clay, and fishing. Campers will even learn about the past by participating in an archaeological dig and speaking the native language.

Wonderful World of Wings for Grades 5 & 6

July 25 – 28, 2017 (8:30am – Noon) It’s a bird, it’s a bat, it’s a butterfly! Discover how and why things in nature use flight for migration, hunting, predator evasion or attracting a mate. Here at Shangri La we have a multitude of animals that depend on their wings. Campers will investigate, create and test different methods and modes of flight.

May the Force of Nature be with You for Grades 7, 8 & 9

August 1 – 4, 2017 (8:30am – Noon) Forces of nature are always moving, from shifting tectonic plates, hot and cold air currents colliding, or the transfer of energy. Students will learn through the design and flight of a hot air balloon, a solar power hands-on experiment and more how forces of nature shape our ever-changing world.

Important Summer Camp Details:

Registration deadline is June 16, 2017 and forms are available online at starkmuseum.org and shangrilagardens.org. Doors/Gates open at 8am for Student Drop-Off ONLY. Also, SCV Members at the Family Level and above receive advance notification of camps and early registration. To learn more about purchasing or renewing a Membership, call 409.221.6656.

Registration Fees:

Registration fees for Art Quest Summer Camps: $45 for Stark Cultural Venues’ (SCV) Members; $60 for the General Public. Registration fees for Art Quest Teen Workshops are: $25 for SCV Members; $35 for the General Public.

Stark Museum of Art is located at 712 Green Avenue in Orange, and is open

Tuesday – Saturday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. General daily admission is free of charge for all ages. For more information, visit starkmuseum.org.

Shangri La is located at 2111 W. Park Avenue in Orange, and is open Tuesday – Saturday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. General daily admission ranges from $2-$6; Outpost Tours require a separate ticket for a separate fee. For more information, visit shangrilagardens.org.