From the Art Activity:

In so many of the art projects the kids here at Chewonki are crafting, I see the limitlessness of imagination and the practicality of a tangible skill merging. Whether it’s sewing a monster creature, creating an intricately patterned bracelet, or making a ‘claymation’ stop-motion film, the kids have expanded their minds and harnessed skills for future use. Expression is key in the art room and we’ve worked hard to cultivate a space where this can thrive. In addition to a set activity available each period, the art room stays open for general swim so that it may to be explored by campers less familiar with or inclined to the arts as well as to those deeply invested in learning beyond the set day. Just the other week, a camper named Jack asked me, “Will you teach me how to make a stuffed animal so that I can go home and do it all by myself?”
In an all boys camp, which focuses so intently upon physical activity and outdoor experiences, I am greatly pleased by how active the art room remains. It is constantly full of incredible energy, creativity and originality. The art room serves as a haven for campers to let their imaginations run wild and I am constantly entertained by the wacky ideas and concepts that campers generate. “I painted a blue duck, ducks aren’t usually blue, but I felt like I should make a blue one”, said one Puffin upon completing a tapestry. Tapestries and block prints allow campers to draw what’s in their mind’s eye while papier-mâché and sewing stuffed animals allow the campers to give the dragons, aliens and dinosaurs of their imaginations three-dimensional form. The act of creation, whether it’s as seemingly simple as a stuffed animal, provides concrete proof of summertime accomplishments for campers. Art provides children with the opportunity to go home with proof of their hard work as well as solid skills that, though not as tangible, will long outlive their tie-dye t-shirts.

-Katie Stout, Art Activity Instructor