Art Studios

The drawing and painting studio provides a panoramic view of the campus. Campers may look out upon the spectacular landscape of Ballibay when working or use a set of tables in the interior facing a still life. At any time of day, there are campers in the painting and drawing studio, some poring over their work in concentrated silence, others chatting casually, listening to music, while counselors are retrieving materials from the supply closets or consulting with campers about their projects.

More often than not, Ballibay’s animals and natural scenery find their way into the creative efforts of our art campers, inspiring them to ask questions about the skills necessary for representational drawing and painting. Our instructors offer guidance on the use of a variety of practices, from collage to abstraction, splatter painting to representational approaches. They also introduce the use of traditional as well as experimental surfaces. Campers may work completely independently if they wish or consult with counselors on ideas and the progress of their work.

In the photography studio, campers learn the basics of traditional 35mm black and white photography: using a camera, developing film, and printing. Campers interested in photography will be seen crisscrossing the campus holding manual SLR cameras in search of subjects for their images. Plants, insects, the star-glazed night sky, frogs and lizards, cats, horses, the pool - all will be eagerly considered by children thrilled by the magic of photography.

The printmaking studio is fitted with the tools and equipment necessary to make linoleum & woodcut prints, monoprints, and silk screen; and has its own darkroom for photo-silkscreen. Counselors encourage campers to take their drawings and paintings and transform them into a print, allowing them to learn about the different visual effects that can be achieved while working with the same subject in a different medium.

In the ceramics studio, campers keep the three potters wheels occupied day and night. The fascination with one of the most ancient and most basic of human arts, the creation of a vessel, is particularly intense in children. Our campers will spend many hours working on their clay containers, designing a basic form, creating decorations, and selecting and applying glazes. Other campers lean more towards making sculptures with clay, with works ranging from small animal figurines to entire cities.

In the fun and relaxed fabrics studio, sewing, dyeing, rug-making, needlework, and many other textile-based forms are explored. Campers make pillows and puppets, resist-dye using batik and shibori techniques, and work with a wide range of materials. Kids are fascinated by the endless creative possibilities of fabrics and fibers.