Some say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but no one said you can’t give campers the tools to become successful children. At camp we believe children learn from example, but mature with experience. Total Specialty Camps offers children this exact opportunity. Whether it’s through sports, academics, or the arts, campers are afforded the opportunity to specialize and excel in subjects they find interesting. Artistic campers gravitate towards painting and drawing for the opportunity to explore creative outlets and develop ingenious ideas.
Campers engage in art exercises to find their voice and style . One particular exercise includes drawing without picking the pen up off the paper. The use of pen over pencil is significant because it allows for mistakes to happen, it is even expected. It is more important to take the art wherever the pen dictates, rather than worrying about the final outcome. Another exercise that encourages campers to listen their artistic voices is drawing with their eyes closed. Although it may seem unnatural, it helps campers loosen up in order to discover their own drawing.
Every week, campers are introduced to a new “Jewish Hero of the Week” and learn more about him or her through art projects. An example of a Jewish Hero is H.A. Rey, and his wife Margaret Rey. Mr. and Mrs. Rey were both German Jews that battled the rise of Nazism. They fled Germany and resided in Paris until it too fell to the hands of the Nazis. They just narrowly escaping hours before Paris fell. Throughout this period, the Reys kept faith and positively through art, specifically of animated animals. Rey’s drawings caught the attention of a publisher and he was offered the opportunity to write and illustrate a children’s book. This book became a time-less classic and the tales of Curious George are still read all over the world today. Campers proudly honor the legacy and bravery of the Rey’s through their own interpretation of Curious George through artwork.
For pictures and updates visit
https://pictures.njycamps.org/view-galleries?camp_id=5
