City of Glendale - News

It’s Art!

Get ready for the 2007 FREE Youth Summer Art Camp at Historic Sahuaro Ranch

Hey, kids. Looking for a cure for the summer doldrums? Have an artful experience at Glendale’s Youth Summer Art Camp. The free four-day workshop sessions are held in the Fruit Packing Shed at Historic Sahuaro Ranch, 9802 N. 59th Ave., and cover a wide range of artistic mediums. Children and teens ages 6-18 are invited to attend. Just take a look at the programs listed below.

How to Sign Up

Registration for these workshops is taken on a first-come, first served basis. For space reservations or more information, call Melinda Bergman at 623-930-3755 or e-mail her at mbergman@glendaleaz.com. The City of Glendale Arts Commission and the Arizona Commission on the Arts are sponsoring the art camp. Partial funding is coming from A Night with the Artist silent auction.

Where do you put your sketches, poems, ideas, dreams, rhymes or private thoughts? Most times do they wind up scribbled on a paper napkin or your math homework? Your special words need special places. Carol Panaro-Smith is teaching “The Handmade Book: Looking Inside and Out” from July 9-12. Open to high school students, ages 14-18, teens can come to either the morning session (9 a.m.-noon) or to the afternoon session (1-4 p.m.).Teens will be creating a different book each day using the coolest handmade papers from around the planet. Each day participants will have time to decorate and personalize each book to make it uniquely your own.

Carol Panaro-Smith is the Founder and Director of Alchemy Studio Workshops. Established in 1998, Alchemy Studio offers the highest quality fine arts workshops in the phoenix area. She is a nationally-acclaimed artist whose work exists in many public and private collections throughout the country. She received an MFA from Arizona State University. Panaro-Smith has over 20 years of teaching experience, with a special emphasis in alternative photographic processes and mixed media.

Children will get glimpses of faraway lands during the July 16-19 sessions devoted to “Four Days of Folk Art and Storytelling,” taught by Christy Peutz. Ages 6-9 will attend the morning session, from 9 a.m.-noon, with older youngster, ages 10-13, participating from 1-4 p.m. Each day a different activity will be featured.

Gourd Rattle. The rattle is one of the oldest musical instruments known to man and is used in cultures around the world. We will discuss Maya, Aztec and Inca cultures and symbolic designs from the Americas. We will then embellish our gourds with beads and images to create a unique musical instrument.

Sand and Bead Mandalas. Mandalas are a symbol of the universe and its energy. Tibetan monks use colored sand to create storytelling imagery. Project participants will create their own colorful sand and bead image inspired by traditional mandalas.

Japanese Koi Fish Windcatcher. The Koi fish is used as a symbol for strength and individualism. This class will discuss plant and animal symbolism popular in many parts of Asia. We will construct and beautifully embellish a Koi fish-shaped windcatcher that can be hung inside or outside.

Storytelling Box. There are many ways to tell stories: through singing and dancing, verbally, visually or in written form. The Storytelling Box is a uniquely embellished box that becomes a way to begin conversations, honor family members, or keep track of personal dreams and accomplishments. Bring copies of pictures from vacations, family members, or even pets, to personalize your box.

Christy Puetz, a Minnesota native, graduated from the University of North Dakota with a BFA. She focused on fiber arts, art history and printmaking. Her experience in creating and exhibiting her beaded sculptures across the country has led her to public art commissions and artist-in-residence opportunities.

Forget the Internet, we’re going to create live stories based on real people! Essayist, playwright and performer Tania Katan is presenting “Yourspace: Writing Workshop ” from July 23-26. Open to high school students, ages 13-18, teens will attend a morning class, from 9 a.m.-noon.

This workshop will allow students to access their own life experiences, observations and imaginations in order to write an inspired and inspiring personal essay or monologue. Participants can look forward to fun writing exercises, giggling and sharing stories.

Tania Katan is an award winning author and playwright. She is a theatrical performer, a teacher, a learner, a runner, and a lover of bull terriers.