New Britain Museum of American Art Summer Camps & Programs
By Editor at June 28, 2024 | 9:15 am | Print
Summer Art Adventures
July 9–Aug. 15
3-day Weekly Sessions (Tuesday through Thursday)
10:30 a.m.-noon
$9 members; $15 non-members per weekly session
Ages 7+ (Pre-registration required)
Session 1: July 9, 10 and 11
Artist-in-Residence Mary Smeallie
Mary Smeallie has been an artist as well as an arts instructor for many years. She currently teaches art at the elementary level for Berlin Public Schools, where she is also Fine Arts Coordinator. She is a juried member of the Connecticut Watercolor Society and the West Hartford Art League. Mary has also worked in advertising as an illustrator for a department store, and as a handbag designer, cartographer, freelance illustrator, and theater set designer. She maintains a studio in West Hartford, where she continuously produces beautiful watercolors.
Project: White Glue + Pastels = Faux Tiffany Glass?
A curious combination of media can result in an amazing outcome reminiscent of a Tiffany stained glass design. Come explore the colorful glasswork of Tiffany in the Museum’s special exhibit, The Brilliance of Lewis Comfort Tiffany, and learn how simple art materials can be used to create fanciful floral designs.
Session 2: July 16, 17 and 18
Artist-in-Residence Shelly O. Haas
Shelly O. Haas is an award-winning illustrator of children’s books. As the daughter of an architect and puppeteer, Shelly witnessed the building of architectural models, stage sets, and puppet characters on a regular basis. Iconic objects in nature, habitats and characters continue to inspire her today whether she is making art for books, walls, or environments.
Project: Art in Motion
Mobiles made up of natural shapes and elements have the power to captivate artists and viewers alike. Learn what makes a good mobile – form, color, and balance – and build your own moving masterpiece in the tradition of such great artists as Alexander Calder, whose work will be explored in the class. Have fun adding all sorts of natural and manmade elements to your project as it hangs from the studio ceiling and slowly takes on a life of its own!
Session 3: July 23, 24 and 25
Artist-in-Residence Susan Skarvinko
Susan Skarvinko is a docent at the Museum who specializes in tours for children. She has been active in arts and international programming with schools and the YMCA in her hometown of Southington for many years, including Art Camp at YMCA’s Camp Sloper every summer, and as chair of the YMCA International Committee. With this range of experience, Susan is excited to share her fascination and understanding of artistic practices around the world here at the NBMAA.
Project: Art Around the World
Take a trip around the world in just three days! Fasten your seatbelts and head first to Australia, where you’ll create dot paintings in the style of the Aboriginal Australians. Next move on to Africa for some fantastic mask-making. Make your final stop in Japan, and tuck some origami creations into your suitcase. Have an international summer adventure without ever having to leave the States!
Session 4: July 30, 31 and Aug. 1
Museum Educator Katy Matsuzaki
Katy Matsuzaki joined the NBMAA as Coordinator of School and Family Programs in December 2012. She previously worked as a Museum Educator in Boston, at both a historic house museum on Beacon Hill and the Museum of Fine Art. Katy comes from a background in Asian art, having lived for three years in Japan where she studied the Japanese arts of calligraphy, flower arranging, and tea ceremony.
Project: Making (Fun of) Art
What’s the point of making art if it isn’t fun? Join NBMAA staff member Katy Matsuzaki to create a veritable toy box of art projects that are just as much fun to play with as they are to look at. Turn a pencil, pushpin, and paper into a spinning pinwheel, make parachute troopers that sail through the air, delight your friends and neighbors with animated artwork, and illustrate puzzles and board games that are sure to cure your summer boredom. We’ll use various art materials and leave plenty of time to play with our creations!
Session 5: Aug. 6, 7 and 8
Artist-in-Residence Joan Shackford
Joan Shackford is a practicing artist who has a degree in Graphic Design and Fine Art from Paier College of Art. Joan has spent numerous years teaching art to children through after school programs in Cheshire, Lil Moe Studio, and the Farmington Valley Arts Center in Avon. Her personal philosophy on art making is simply that every individual should create work that gives a feeling of self-satisfaction, and this underpins her teaching, as well as the varied art that she creates in her free time.
Project: Joan’s Junk Creations
What can you do with some empty tuna cans, corrugated cardboard, plastic bottles and newspaper? According to artist Joan Shackford, you can make just about anything. During this three-day art session, learn how to get creative with recyclable materials. Create “junk bots,” miniature habitats, and all sorts of abstract creatures. Joan will bring all of the junk – you bring your ideas!
Session 6: Aug. 13, 14 and 15
Artist-in-Residence Jim Brunelle
Artist Jim Brunelle has acquired a mastery over clay by consistently working with the medium for over twenty years. Jim produces his work out of his residence studio in New Britain, the Farmington Valley Arts Center, and the Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill. Aside from his work in clay, his paintings as well as prints have been exhibited in Connecticut galleries and museums, and Jim was the winner of the print award in the NBMAA’s 43rd annual juried Members Exhibition.
Project: Inside & Outside the Museum
For each day of this session, Jim and his class will look closely at artworks both inside and outside the Museum. Students will explore portraits, landscapes, and still-lifes as well as abstract works before heading into the studio to create their own drawings and paintings in response to what they viewed. Inspiration will also be drawn from the museum grounds and Walnut Hill Park’s panorama. Participants will draw and paint plein air with colored pencils, pastels, watercolor and acrylic paints.
New Britain Museum of American Art, 56 Lexington Street, New Britain, CT 06052
call 860-229-0257, fax 860-229-3445 or email [email protected]
