If you'd like an electronic copy of our camp catalog, download it here. The catalog features pricing info, complete camp descriptions, and teacher biographies.
We are grateful for the many people that offered feedback and submitted interest forms. Your input absolutely shaped the design and the camp offerings. We heard your requests for week long camps that centered on arts integration and small group size. Every camp, no matter the theme, will offer a range of arts exploration.
CAMP BEAST: Week Long * Arts Infused * Camps for Children 4 to 6 Years Old
Art Beast Camps are Different! We’ve designed our camps with certain goals in mind. First off, our camps serve children between 4 and 6 years old. We want to create a space that honors children by offering activities and environments suited to their age range. No trying to keep up with the 10 year olds at this camp!
Each session fills at 15 children and is led by two teachers, promising a group that can grow close.
The camps offer a blend of structured arts exploration in the classroom and free play within the building, always under close supervision by the camp teachers.
Our camps are about exploring art not replicating someone else’s craft. Children will explore a range of mediums and arts in their own way.
No matter the theme, we promise a range of arts integration with movement, song, story, and art.
After or before camp each day, you can stay and play at Art Beast with your child as long as you’d like.
And, as always, when you choose Art Beast, your money supports Tubman House, a residential community for young, homeless parents and their children. A portion of your camp fees will be tax deductible.
Camps will run from June 14, 2010 through August 20th, 2010.
Session Times: Morning Camps: 9 am to 1 pm (Children bring lunch)
Afternoon Camps: 1:30 to 5:30 pm (Children bring snack)
Pricing: $160 a week includes all supplies except dance shoes. Additional siblings enrolled in the same week receive a 15% discount off the camp fee.
Will Art Beast still be open during the camps?
Absolutely. The camps will add 15 children at a time to the building and they will be in the classroom for over half that time. We will have all the regular classes and activities happening along with the camps.
What if my child doesn’t enjoy camp?
We know that our camps may be the first camp experience for many children. We will work hard to make it amazing! That said, some children may struggle with time away from family. We suggest you visit Art Beast to play and try a few classes in the months ahead. Many are taught by our camp instructors. Though we can’t refund a camp, we can credit the amount toward a membership, gift card, or punch card.
My child is not quite 4 or just over 6. Can they attend?
We honor parents and caregivers as the best qualified to determine if their child would enjoy an Art Beast camp. We recommend a visit to Art Beast to try out a couple classes to decide if the camp is a good fit.
Can a caregiver stay and play with a younger sibling while the other sibling is in camp?
Yes! We will be giving one “grown up gets in free” card to the caregiver bringing the child to camp. The sibling will just pay the drop in price unless you’re a member.
My child is slow to warm. Can I stay during the camp?
We strongly believe that our environments must be comfortable for all children. We always welcome parents to join a camp or class, or stay nearby if that helps their child ease into a new experience.
Can my child take two sessions a week?
This would probably be too long a day for many children. That said, we respect caregivers’ right to decide.
Art Beast reserves the right to cancel any sessions that do not register at least 12 campers. A full refund will be given.
Camps will be filled on a first come, first served basis. If demand exceeds a session, we will maintain a wait list in the event that futher sessions open.
To register, complete the camp registration form and submit your deposit. A camp registration form is also available online at www.artbeaststudio.com.
Great Art Time Machine: Exploring Art’s Many Mediums
Take a trip back in time to study with the great artists! Each day, campers will explore an artist’s work and the medium s/he used, creating their own masterpieces in the same medium. Campers will play games, solve mysteries, make paints, and create! On the last day of camp, families will be invited to an art show featuring our week of creating art.
Teacher Bio: Sonja White is an artist who lives in a shoe with so many children, she knows what to do. She gives them paint, brushes and pads, praises their efforts, and adds helpful tads. She sings to them sweetly, tells stories all day, teaches the masters, and finds new ways to play. She’s a teacher, a dancer, a mom and she’s glad, because this is the best life a person can have! Sonja is an enthusiastic artist who enjoys drawing, painting, multi-media projects, and textile design. She is co-owner of Lydia’s Kids, a children’s clothing line, as well as a private art Instructor. Sonja has been dancing for over 30 years. She performs all over the greater Sacramento area with Lincoln Village Dancers, celebrating culture, and sharing the joy of dance! Sonja has a great passion for storytelling. She’ll spin a story whenever given the opportunity- from the Waldorf- inspired education she shares with her six children, to performing at local events.
Who’s in Rabbit’s House? An Acting and Storytelling Camp
Through the practice of storytelling, movement, rhythm, and song, we will work together to play “Who’s in Rabbit’s House?” This is a wonderful folk¬tale from the Masai adapted by Verna Ardema. Each day we will explore the rhythms and movements our body can make. Traditional songs and instruments will be introduced. This folktale will be told as the children begin to make it their own and bring the story to life. During the week a variety of stories, songs, and animals from different places in Africa will also be introduced. At week’s end, families will be invited to watch our production of the folktale.
Teacher Bio: Amy Reed is a painter, musician, writer, and naturalist. She has collaborated with artists across this country and Internationally. She currently teaches painting and drawing in Oak Park at the Language Academy, a two-way, Spanish Immersion, Charter school. You can find her with her students painting under the orchard trees or singing ‘Abiyoyo’ in the garden. She is honored to be collaborating with the ArtBeast community.
Camp Gizmo
Camp Gizmo is all about taking things apart, using tools, exploring building materials, and creating something new! Forget legos, step-by-step instructions, and the hunt for the yellow block. Camp Gizmo invites each child to dig into an array of doodads and tidbits to build a car, a boat, a robot, or a one-of-a-kind creation. Two teachers will be on hand to inspire and develop an understanding of the basic rules that make things roll, fly, and stand tall. They will model and guide use of tools and help each child move from vision to gizmo. As with all camps, storytelling, movement, and games will be integrated into the session to teach concepts and welcome wiggles.
Teacher Bio: Eric Sweet is a pilot who has a lifelong love of flying and science. He holds an Airline Transport Pilot license anf type ratings including the Citation X. He is also the father of three and an active participant in his children’s school. Through his expereince as both a flight and swim instructor, Eric has found that the basic principles of fluid dynamics are all around us. He inspires those around him to look at how things work and why.
Peaceful and Playful: Yoga and Eco Art
Children connect with mind, body, and community through the practices of yoga, group share, storytime, and team building games. They will also tap into self expression while creating art and instruments from reclaimed objects. This camp aims to provide tools that will benefit for a lifetime: respect of individual differences, peaceful ways of listening and speaking, and the importance of self-expression, taking care of the earth, and loving and honoring yourself! Yoga for children is designed to welcome giggles, silly ideas, playfulness, and spirit. This camp will be energetic and great fun as it develops important skills.
The August session combines Yoga with Dance rather than Eco Art, blending Dance Camp with Yoga.
Teacher Bio: Jenna Maggard is dedicated to practicing and teaching yoga, raising her son, studying early child¬hood education, buying local, eating healthy, riding her bike, making art with friends, playing the guitar, working for non-profits, and being an integral part of her midtown Sacramento community. Jenna’s been working with children for 6 years and sees no end to this journey. Her long term goal is to become a child therapist, but in the meantime, providing ArtBeast and Center of Movement with yoga, creative movement, and art classes for kids is an honor.
So Many Ways of Stepping: Dance Camp
Campers will explore ballet, creative movement, tap, jazz, and hip hop with two dedicated, energetic young dancers. Ballet basics provide a base for all the dance styles as the campers develop coordination and balance, and relish the twirls and frills. Creative movement allows children’s inner voices and imaginations to be expressed in original and organic ways. And who doesn’t love to make loud noises with their feet?! Tap is fun and exciting. Tap basics help with feet isolations and articulations in other dance styles and in sports like soccer. For a child looking for a style less formal than ballet but less funky than hip hop, jazz is a happy medium. Finally, hip hop invites inventiveness and beat driven movement. This dance sampler highlights the fun of moving the body and shaking off gravity for a moment, while introducing some of the specific skills a child will develop if s/he plunges into a specific dance genre.
Teacher Bios: Maya Haines loves to dance. She has been taking ballet lessons since she was 6 years old. Maya studies ballet, tap, contemporary and jazz at the N. California Dance Conservatory. She is a member of their pre-professional company and will perform at the Mondavi Center this summer. Maya was invited to attend dance intensives with Alvin Ailey America Dance Theatre and Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet Co.
Winter Mason has been dancing since age 5 and was in the Sacramento Ballet’s The Nutcracker four times. Winter has explored dance from ballet and hip hop to ballroom and Polynesian. She currently dances at Step One and is a member of their competitive dance team. Being an older sister, and previously employed at Hidden Treasure Nursery, Winter has lots of experience with children and loves to share her passion with them.
Telling Tales: Puppet Making and Storytelling
Imaginations will soar in this fantasy camp centered on creating puppets and learning the art of storytelling for a puppet theater production. Campers will create many styles of puppets from found and created items to accompany their favorite stories, old and new. On the last day of camp, each child will have the option of presenting their storybook creations to family in a puppet theater presentation. This camp promises great fun and the thrill of creating puppets to every child whether they are eager to perform or prefer to experiment with bringing their puppet fully to life in a quieter space.
Teacher Bio: Sonja White is an enthusiastic artist who en¬joys drawing, watercolor and acrylic painting, multi-media projects, and textile design. She is co-owner of Lydia’s Kids, a children’s clothing line, as well as a private art Instructor. Sonja has been dancing for over 30 years. Although she was raised on Russian Ballet, her current affair is with Cultural Folkdance. She performs all over the greater Sacramento area with Lincoln Village Dancers, celebrating culture, and sharing the joy of dance! Sonja has a great passion for sto-rytelling. She’ll spin a story whenever given the opportunity- from the Waldorf- inspired education she shares with her six children, to performing at local events.
Drum and Groove: Camp Bang
Another camp that promises arts integration, as campers drum, dance, tell stories, sing, create rattles and drums, and explore the world of percussion. Each day children will build a community of rhythm in drum circles, clap and stomp lines, and voices raised. Stories, poems, movement, and song will be woven into the beats so children fully experience the power of music. Each camper will also create a range of percussion instruments to take home for further rhythm making.
Teacher Bio: Amy Reed is a painter, musician, writer, and naturalist. She has collaborated with artists across this country and Internationally. She currently teaches painting and drawing in Oak Park at the Language Academy, a two-way, Spanish Immersion, Charter school. You can find her with her students painting under the orchard trees or singing ‘Abiyoyo’ in the garden. She is honored to be collaborating with the ArtBeast community.
Unravel: A Camp to Explore Creating with Textiles
Knitting and sewing have an undeserved bad rap! In this camp, children will uncover the mysteries of working with yarn, wool, and fabrics to create true treasures. This will be the camp where your children come home with creations you can’t quite believe they made. You’ll be asking them how they did it. And they will have one proud look on their face as they tell you how it is done.
Campers will learn to finger knit, felt wool, spin wool, weave, dye clothe, and sew as they create satchels, stuffed animals, dolls, and art. Projects include stone felting, felted lady bugs and “paintings,” natural plant dyes, and vegetable painting. Projects are carefully selected so they can be completed by any camper and allow expression of personal aesthetic. These projects will be fun, sensory experiences, and also great for the development of fine motor skills and dexterity.
Teacher Bio: Amy Reed is a painter, musician, writer, and naturalist. She has collaborated with artists across this country and Internationally. She currently teaches painting and drawing in Oak Park at the Language Academy, a two-way, Spanish Immersion, Charter school. You can find her with her students painting under the orchard trees or singing ‘Abiyoyo’ in the garden. She is honored to be collaborating with the ArtBeast community.
Rocket Camp
Rocket Camp is an introduction to rockets for your youngest scientists. They will explore the physics of rockets through exciting experiments as well as hands on rocket design and construction. Campers will make and launch a variety of rockets. Each day will also include storytelling and song as children learn how the history of exploring the cosmos is revealed in song and story as we move from “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” to the myth of Icarus to our current understanding. This camp will be like a magic show with everything explained. Our goal is to create a fun, exciting and educational experiences that will help spark a lifetime interest in science, math, and physics.
Teacher Bio: Eric Sweet is a pilot who has a lifelong love of flying and science. He holds an Airline Transport Pilot license and type ratings including the Citation X. He is also the father of three and an active participant in his children’s school. Through his expereince as both a flight and swim instructor, Eric has found that the basic principles of fluid dynamics are all around us. He inspires those around him to look at how things work and why.
Project Garden Gnome: Creating a Garden for Butterflies
Through traditional folk songs, art, and movement we will explore the wildflower garden and California’s natural history. We will culminate our exploration in planting a small butterfly and hummingbird garden with native plants such as California Fuchsia, Western Columbine, Wild Gooseberry, and River Willow. As with all our camps, arts exploration will be integrated into the process as children sing songs about planting, paint gardens, watch puppet shows about animals, explore soil and clay, and move their bodies like bumblebees or sprouts reaching toward the sun. In addition to planting a butterfly garden at Art Beast, children will bring home seeds and starts to honor the hummingbirds and butterflies that journey through their neighborhoods.
Teacher Bio: Amy Reed is a painter, musician, writer, and naturalist. She has collaborated with artists across this country and Internationally. She currently teaches painting and drawing in Oak Park at the Language Academy, a two-way, Spanish Immersion, Charter school. You can find her with her students painting under the orchard trees or singing ‘Abiyoyo’ in the garden. She is honored to be collaborating with the ArtBeast community.
]]>Camps will run from June through August and most will last one week. Children can attend the morning session from 9 to 1 or the afternoon session from 1:30 to 5:30. We are also exploring offering 2 day a week camps so let us know what configurations you'd like to see! These camps will allow parents to drop children off. A one week session will be $160 (which includes all camp materials).
We've designed our camps with certain goals in mind. First off, our camps will serve children between 4 and 6 years old. We want to create a space that honors young children by offering activities and environments suited to that age range. Each session will fill at 15 children and be led by two teachers, promising a group that can grow close. Our teachers are primarily current Art Beast teachers. Sonja and Jenna will both be offering camps, as will our dance teachers Winter and Maya. The camps will also offer a blend of structured activity in the classroom and free play within the building, always under close supervision by the camp teachers.
And, as always, when you choose Art Beast camps, the money you pay supports Tubman House, a residential community for young, homeless parents and their children- and a portion of your camp fees will be tax deductible.
Hope to see you this Summer! Looking forward to hearing your ideas!
]]>Our class catalog for 2010 will include most our current offerings as well as a new yoga and movement class for toddlers and a movement class for infants. We are also excited to introduce our new Mini-Art Beast Players class. This 8 week session will lead children in putting on a show that will be performed for families and friends. The children will star in the production, create sets, and learn the joy of becoming a team. The first production will be a play following the adventures of the two little pigs as they seek out their lost and beloved friend.
In 2010, we look forward to organizing more events for children of the same age groups to meet at Art Beast. Watch for Toddler Tuesday and Four-Year-Old Friday events where the art activities and play stations are tailored to specific stages of development.
To ensure we do not overcrowd the building and the classes, we will only sell 200 annual memberships. We may offer this promotion again if we find the building could accommodate more families. We are excited to offer families a more affordable way to become a long term member.
As always, all proceeds from Art Beast support Tubman House, a transitional living community for young, homeless parents and their children. This means that after we pay the rent and the utilities, stock the shelves with supplies, and pay our art coaches and teachers every penny remaining sustains homeless families as they work toward self-sufficiency.
Ready to become a member? Click here: http://www.formspring.com/forms/?760760-ybxusLULAV
]]>Your friends and family will participate in a sweet birthday celebration where an art coach is available to lead a craft and help you host your party. You and your guests will enjoy the homey feel and relaxed environment of Art Beast while the children have free-range to create art, put on a show, move their bodies, and travel where their imaginations will carry them. Guests can come any time before the party and stay afterward to explore all the playrooms at Art Beast.
The party studio is decorated with festive paper lanterns. Tables are set up with table clothes, real plates, clothe napkins, real flatware, glasses and vases. (Paper waste is kept at a minimum to reduce environmental impact.) Children decorate a birthday banner for your child, and make a craft to celebrate the day. As the party begins, the Art Coach leads a birthday circle where the parent passes around a photo of their child at each age, sharing a simple memory of each year to capture the journey to this birthday year. Once the party ends, we take care of the clean up.
Your Art Beast Birthday Party, like all the proceeds from Art Beast, also supports Tubman House. Tubman House provides 18 months of housing and wrap around services to young, homeless parents and their children. Having your party at Art Beast helps us fund the groceries, college textbooks, diapers, and dedicated staff that support Tubman’s parents and children.
Birthday packages are $275. To reserve your birthday party, click here: http://www.formspring.com/forms/?743818-zWYVuu6lty
The Fine Print: Between now and August 31, any person buying a 2 to 4 month Open Studio Pass receives a free weekly class for each child under 7 in their family. In other words, if you buy a two month pass, each child on the membership gets to enroll in one class a week for two months. The only restriction is that each child must register and enroll in a class series by September 12. Most classes run 4 to 8 weeks. If a series ends before your membership, you can enroll in another series of classes or attend our drop in sessions.
Until September 12, your children can drop into a class a week to explore our offerings and decide which class they would like to try out for a few weeks. The advantage of registering for a series is that your child gets to develop a relationship with the teacher and the children committed to the class series.
As our classes cost $8 a session, this is quite a savings over the duration of a class series. We will not be offering this promotion again so act quickly to ensure you get this deal- and to ensure you can register in the class your child would like to attend.
If you are currently a member and your membership expires in September, you can extend your membership by 2 to 4 months to take advantage of this promotion. We will also apply the free class offer to the remaining days on your current membership.
We've included our calendar of Fall classes below. If there's any other classes you'd like to see us offer, let us know!
Fall classes will begin September 13 and run until December 19, 2009. No classes will be held on November 26, 27, or 28th.
Until September 13, Class Pass holders can drop in on any 4 classes each week.
The Beastie Song Circle is open to all. No registration is required.
The jugs of paint are full. 125 pounds of clay weighs down the round table. The shelves are full of objects both familiar and silly with which to create. Our huge upstairs classroom lets the light pour in, as the grown ups relax and watch the children dig into classes carefully tailored to the young. Play spaces offer nooks and props and inspiration for children to create new worlds for an hour or two.
It will be noisy. It will be messy. You will find yourself chasing your young one from the puppet theatre to the painting wall to the sand and water bar. The bang wall, the tin can castle, and the loft will beckon as well. In between, pinch pots and portraits and sculptures of mysterious reclaimed tidbits will join the ArtBeast gallery that’s recreated daily.
In our first week, we hope you will join in as we create paper mache beasties to suspend from the ceilings to become the official welcoming committee for ArtBeast. Drop in classes will be offered from 10 to 4 every day for the first two weeks and will be included in the price of a visit.
We can’t promise the paint will wash out. We can promise fun.
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