Art museum offering summer classes to kids of all ages
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IDAHO FALLS — The Art Museum of Eastern Idaho is giving creative children the opportunity to learn new artistic skills during their ARTrek Summer Camps.
The museum is running two four-day camp sessions. The first is called “Made in America,” which runs from July 19 to 22 and focuses on exploring the work of American artists. The second, called “Build It,” runs Aug. 9 to 12, and gives kids a chance to tackle 3D projects like skyscrapers, abstract sculpture, pottery and more.
These day camps provide kids with a multitude of benefits.
“Each day is really fun because we work on our projects, then we take breaks,” Museum Education Director Alexa Stanger told EastIdahoNews.com. “We have the park right next to us, which is a really nice resource, so we’re able to eat outside in the gazebo, have some run-around time at lunch to get some exercise and sometimes even use the park sometime as a place to go outside to do our projects.”
The museum is also offering pottery classes throughout the summer. Classes are organized by into age ranges and children are taught various techniques.
“We have clay classes for kids who are ages four through nine,” Stanger said. “That’s called ‘Mud Club’ and children ages four through six need to come with their favorite grown-up. But ages seven through nine can come alone.”
“Mud Club” gives the kids a new project each week which is glazed and fired so that students can take home a finished project.
For kids ages ten through fourteen, the museum offers “Tweens on the Wheel.”
“That’s pottery wheel class for kids but we also do hand building, like slab work, as well,” Stanger said. “So they learn how to throw a pot on the wheel and they get to learn about glazing and the firing process. It’s really fun and that’s a popular class.”
Teens older than fourteen can join the museum’s adult pottery classes on Thursday nights. Stanger said their classes give youths a chance to develop skills that will help to unlock their creativity.
“They definitely foster creativity in kids but I also think it gives them an opportunity to explore art processes,” she said. “We really emphasize using materials and processes that adult artists use so that (the kids) learn the techniques and then they have the room to express themselves and be creative in their own way.”
Pre-registration for The Art Museum of Eastern Idaho’s ARTrek camps and other classes is required. Dee to COVID-19, class size is limited and they are quickly filling up. Click here to visit the museum’s website and sign the child up for art classes. You can also register over the phone at (208) 524-7777 or in person. Scholarships are available for children who may be facing financial issues.
“If there are kids out there who have a passion for the arts but maybe finances are a barrier, we always want them to get in touch with us,” Stanger said. “We have a very vibrant scholarship program so we can make sure the arts are accessible to everyone.”
