Photo/ Curtis Galbraith

By Courtney Almeida

AGGP

Art Gallery of Grande Prairie launches Summer Art Camps

May 26, 2019 | 7:00 AM

The Art Gallery of Grande Prairie has announced the opening of registrations for their Summer Art Camps. Janay Rowland, who is this years Gallery Youth Ambassador made the announcement for the program with runs from July 15 – August 2.

Summer Art Camps are open to kids ages 6-12. They provide children with the opportunity to work and learn in a professional gallery setting.

“It allows kids to see and feel the different arts from different people and learn about that through the history. Its unique and special and they get to create their own art based off that,” says Janay Rowland, Youth Ambassador for the Art Gallery of Grande Prairie.

Each camp is a week long and takes place in the afternoons. Programming offers a chance for children to learn about a variety of art making techniques concerned with painting, sculpture and mixed media.

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The camps are “a way to introduce children to achieving things through art. They can both create control and explore the origins of the work,” explains Rowland.

Some Art Camp projects may even be chosen to get put on display at the gallery. “You get to have the kids look at the exhibits and learn about those and in the process, make their own art which will get displayed most of the time,” said Rowland.

Photo/Art Gallery of Grande Prairie/ Facebook

Rowland, a current student at Isabell Campbell School, was chosen as the galleries Youth Ambassador due to her already impressive resume. At just 14 years old she has already been recognized locally various times for her work.

Her creative interests have a focus on writing, visual and performing arts. Rowland notes that this opportunity, “is definitely a step in the right direction” for her.

In 2018, she was awarded the ‘Striving for Excellence’ Award on behalf of the Education Foundation.

More recently, she also won the Prairie Mall’s ‘Be the Voice’ project for ‘Be You’.

From July 15-19 a painting class called, ‘Nature Matters’ is being offered. Students will be taught a variety of techniques concerning both painting and drawing. The inspiration for the camp focuses on colourful, unique works which reflect our natural environment.

July 22-26, a sculpture camp focusing on architecture, space and 3D artworks is being offered, titled ‘Taking up Space’. Students are to work both on their own and in a group setting to create contemporary art pieces.

The Mixed Media camp will run from July 29 to August 2. ‘Stories and Gestures’ allows for students to tell stories both with and without words, as they explore a range of working mediums.

Camps are, “an important destination for families who want their children to have positive, expansive learning opportunities. Thousands of children pass through the gallery each year and the camps are a really great, focused time for learning and fun in a small group setting,” says Jeff Erbach, Executive Director for the Art Gallery of Grande Prairie.

Camps cost $95 each but Gallery members qualify for a reduced rate of $75.

To find more information on Summer Art Camps call the Gallery at (780) 532-8111 or visit Art Gallery of Grande Prairie.