All Hands on Clay at the Art Center

The month of July is packed with creativity at the Marco Island Center for the Arts and Arts Center Theatre! Through the "Every Child Deserves Art" initiative, all children's summer art and theatre programs are offered FREE of charge thanks to the generosity of our community supporters. Young artists and performers will enjoy hands-on classes led by an outstanding lineup of instructors, including Jen Norqual, Josie Torres, Beth Weibel, Jan Deswik, Jean Camposano, Vince Turner, Scott Brown, Kelly Ponder, Shelley McKernan, Juliana Pisculli, Michelle Schoen, Chris Dayett, and Jodi Palmieri. From painting, clay, watercolor, pastel, printmaking, and mixed media to exciting musical theatre productions at Arts Center Theatre, July offers something for every creative child.

It was All Hands on Clay on Wednesday, July 8, as Jean Camposano, clay artist and instructor, was busy preparing the class for the afternoon session. This was the first week, and Camposano has ten students signed up. According to Camposano, some of the students are repeat attendees from last year. This is her third year teaching this summer class, and she will teach for a couple of weeks and then another instructor, Kelly Ponder, will come and teach the clay class. Kelly is also in her third year with the summer program. Also in the classroom was Susie Hauze, teaching assistant, also in her third year with the program.

According to Camposano, the All Hands on Clay class is offered throughout the month of July, and this week’s group ranged from age nine to 13. For this week, Camposano will focus on slab hand building, making all kinds of things such as vases, bowls, plates, and the students also will learn how to make pinch pots and coils. From these two foundations they can make anything, added Camposano.

The students love to be here; they love to do clay and yes, it is messy but fun. For this first week of class, Camposano encouraged the students to be creative and usually she will share an idea or an example and want the students to take it to the next level or add their own vision to the project. At the end of the week, the students will go home with a couple of projects; they will paint on Wednesday and fire them in the kiln and on Friday, hopefully ready for the students to take home. But for some projects, the students will have to come back next week to pick them up.

Camposano is a ceramic artist based on Marco Island. She studied art at Northern Illinois University and her clay journey began more than eight years ago when she took her first ceramics class at the Marco Island Center for the Arts. Since then, clay has become her primary medium of expression.

The Every Child Deserves Art initiative is grant funded which enables the Marco Island Center for the Arts to expand its children’s summer program. Big thanks to the generosity and support from the United Church of Marco Island, the Island Country Club Charitable Foundation, the Isles of Collier Preserve Foundation, the Marco Island Woman’s Club, the Marco Island Noontime Rotary, Our Daily Bread Food Pantry, and numerous individual donors.

According to the Marco Island Center for the Arts, the expanded summer programming will provide more children with the opportunity to explore creativity, build confidence, and engage in hands-on artistic experiences regardless of financial circumstances. The free workshops are designed to inspire imagination while nurturing artistic growth in a welcoming and encouraging environment.

While many classes have reached capacity, limited spaces are still available in select July classes. Families are encouraged to register soon by visiting Marco Island Center for the Arts Children's Summer Classes or by calling 239-394-4221 for current availability.