Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art

Cheekwood camps foster arts smarts

At Cheekwood Botanical Garden, kids can find a different kind of camp this summer.

Instead of traditional day-camp diversions like swimming, volleyball and relay races, Cheekwood's participants will find sculpture, acrylics, photography and other arts-focused activities.

The weeklong camps at Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art are open to ages 2 to 15 and run through the first week of August. Morning sessions begin at 9, while afternoon sessions start at 1 and last until 4 p.m. for older campers.
 
Two-year-old campers will explore the world of art in "ArtStart," working with their parents on art projects that are creative and fun.

Preschoolers ages 3 to 4 can join their parents in a variety of art classes that let the children paint, work with clay and learn about textures and art tools.

Whether sculpting real creatures or imaginary creations, children ages 5 and 6 will have the chance to make puppets, design crazy "mud monsters" and more.

Classes for campers 7 to 9 years old include "Awesome Acrylics," which introduces the use of acrylic paint, "Studio FUNdamentals," as well as classes involving drawing, photography and more.

Activities for campers ages 13 to 15 include the basics of clay creations on a wheel, darkroom photography and an exploration of composition and perspective using charcoal, pencil and ink.

For ages 2-4, the price for one weeklong session (morning or afternoon) is $65 for members, $87 for nonmembers. The cost for older participants is $130 per session for members, $173 for nonmembers.

Visit Cheekwood's online registration page for more information or to apply. A limited number of summer camp scholarships are available. For campers who require special accommodations, call (615) 353-9827 before registering.

- by Leah Caudle , Nashville Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)