RINGGOLD, Ga. -- Art may have been cut from some schools, but elementary and middle school students attending the summer camp at the Beth Kellerhals Center for Visual Arts Education got to create art using photography, watercolors and sculpturing materials.
"These kids are exposed to things that they normally would not be exposed to, different types of art, different types of painting, styles of painting that you wouldn't get in a traditional classroom setting," parent Chris Armstrong said.
FOR MORE INFORMATIONFor more information about art camp, call Dr. Larry Bunch at 706-935-2254.
Mr. Armstrong was among several parents who came to see his children's work at the end of visual art camp Friday.
His daughter, Emily Armstrong, has attended the camp since it started three years ago. Her goal is to become a fashion designer.
"I like that we get to color and draw," said the 8-year-old fourth-grader.
Emily was among 150 students ages 6 to 13 who met at the art center for a week to study professional artists, duplicate their work and make artwork of their own.
Most students paid $120 to attend camp. However, camp supporters provided scholarships for 14 students. The money is used to pay camp expenses and buy materials. It's not to make a profit, officials said.
Art camp inspires imagination, said Shelby Alas while looking at her daughter's art work.
It was the first time her daughter, Chaelee Alas, attended the camp. She studied how American artist Martin Puryear combined traditional crafts with modern materials to create art sculptures. Then she made two sculptures of her own using wire, rope and bamboo cane.
"My favorite thing was the weaving with the cane because it was like beautiful, the weaving, the structure of it, the way it formed beautifully," said Chaelee, 13.
She used rope and bamboo cane to make a table and a hammock during the camp. Other students made guitars and drums, camp teacher Wade Jackson said.
Mr. Jackson, who teaches art at Cleveland High School, said the camp gives children pride and confidence.
"They learn they can do things that they never thought they could do," he said. "For a lot of them this is the first time they've tried to draw anything in 3D."
The visual art camp is the brainchild of Dr. Larry Bunch, a Ringgold High School art teacher. His art classes at the high school were overflowing.
So when the former public library building near the school became available, he saw an opportunity to provide more space for art students, have a place where local artists could display their work and host the art camp. He convinced local politicians to sell the building and school officials to buy it in 2006.
"I didn't waste any time," he said. "We've had art camp every year since then."