Art Camp is a two-week, arts focused program component of Gibraltar's Migrant Education Program that aims to provide migratory students with opportunities to engage in the arts and explore their personal creativity, thereby furthering intellectual growth and an expanded understanding of the world in which they live.
The Hardy's involvement with Art Camp dates back to the early 2000s. A variety of themes have been used throughout the years to connect the migrant students to the arts. In 2009, for example, the Art Camp theme focused on color -- from the creation of a simple color wheel for learning primary and secondary colors to exploring its use in the students' everyday lives.
Donna Brown, local artist and art instructor, used color as a starting point for art projects that included printmaking, beadmaking, tie-dyeing and icing color wheel cookies. Specific emphasis is given to integrating core program requirements, including math (fractions) and select vocabulary, into the projects. For variety and activity, the group played two color-related games -- Twister and I Spy.
Contour drawing and negative space were also introduced and a series of monotypes prints of the students' shoes were created. The images provided a nice focus on the gift of new Converse shoes for the children from a local church (several of these prints might be used as greeting cards to help raise funds for next year's shoes). To end the August program, the student work is typically displayed for the general public at the Hardy, where the students are able to speak about their projects.
Instructor Donna Brown says, "The group is challenging, but fun to work with. As always, it requires a great deal of time improvisation given the structure and the timing of the program, but the children always love the art focus and get so much out of the projects. Art Camp is a wonderful opportunity for these students and I have thoroughly enjoyed working in tandem with the Hardy to plan and deliver the program."
