Crealdé School hosts 36th Summer ArtCamp Student Exhibition

The Crealdé School often showcases pieces of art from professionals across Florida. But the work on display through Sept. 15 comes from a different talent pool — the young artists who attended the school’s summer camp. 

“This is our 36th event,” said Belinda Glennon, young artist program manager for the Crealdé School. “It’s grown. We used to sell out really fast and have tremendously long wait lists. We have tried in the past several years to include additional mediums and accommodate more children.”

During 10 weeks each summer, children ranging in age from 4 to 17 take one- to two-week summer camps to learn about a variety of artistic mediums. Their work, peer-selected by the campers, is put on display for Crealdé customers to observe. The children also work with the instructors to make more than 30 collaborative art pieces that are up for sale. 

“They’re built upon whatever medium or technique the kids have been learning throughout their particular camp,” Glennon said. “Each person does a portion of it, and it’s put together to be a collaborative piece. Each piece is up for sale, and proceeds from that benefit scholarships for kids for next summer who might not be able to afford the experience.”

Faryn Hughley, 11, and Carrighan Slydell, 13, worked together on Native American celebratory sculptures, which were carved out, painted over and printed on paper, and added to a collaborative piece. They also created their own ceramic sculptures. Slydell made a narwhal, while Hughley made a sculpture of her late dog that she gave to her brother.

“I wasn’t good at art when I was in school,” Hughley said. “Now, I think I accomplished something to pass art.”

The media the children explore include printmaking, digital and film photography, painting and drawing, ceramics, sculptures, and mystery media.  A new addition for this summer was an art-immersion program during which 9- to 13-year-olds tackled two media in about three-and-a-half hours.

Angelina Schreyer, a 13-year-old student at St. Margaret Mary Catholic School always has been fond of painting and drawing. But the summer camp also gave her the chance to create clay ceramics, one of which was put on display at the exhibit.

“It’s been encouraging as a young artist to be able to see people compliment your work,” she said. 

Photo Finish

John Baker has served as the Crealdé School’s facilities manager and special events coordinator for a few years now. He also makes sure to help out at the summer camp by teaching kids about photography.

“There’s a relief and a glee (on opening night), because it comes to fruition, and you finally just exhale and enjoy,” he said. “You don’t reach every kid. But the ones you do makes it all worthwhile.”

He said sometimes the children are more interested in being jokesters than paying attention to the class on famous photographers he’s teaching. He admits it’s not an easy skill to learn — he has to teach them how to use a camera’s focus, the light meter, exposure and more. But eventually, some students learn how to handle the equipment, and their black-and-white photos are on display at the school. 

“At the end of the two weeks, they see the magic of the dark room,” Baker said. “Once they see the image appear before their eyes in the dark room, it all comes together. It’s almost like an awakening … and they want to take more photos.”

36th Summer ArtCamp Student Exhibition

WHEN: Through Sept. 15

WHERE: The Crealdé School, 600 St. Andrews Blvd., Winter Park

PHONE: (407) 671-1886

WEBSITE: crealde.org/exhibition/36th-summer-artcamp-student-exhibition