I am constantly amazed by the number of free programs offered to the residents of our various cities in the Greater Phoenix area. For the past several years, the City of Glendale Library and Arts Department has sponsored six weeks of free camp programs for children between the ages of 6 and 18. If:

• you answered this survey that you can't afford summer camp for your child this year
• you live in Glendale, AZ
• your child is creative or enjoys art programs

then keep reading! A summer camp may be just a phone call away.

The City of Glendale is holding a free six-week art camp. The following workshops are being offered:

Week 1

“Four Days of Folk Art and Storytelling”
Instructor: Christy Puetz
Date: Monday – Thursday, June 30-July 3
Morning Session: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. for ages 6-9
Afternoon Session: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. for ages 6-9

Day 1. Heroes and Sidekicks: All of us have a really good friend or someone that we think of as a hero or that brings a lot of joy to our lives. It can be a parent, friend, sibling or teacher. We will be embellishing two figures, one to represent you, one to represent your hero/buddy.
Day 2. Totem Pole Animal Beads: We will explore the animal symbolism of the totem poles created by Native Americans of the northwest coast. The animal beads we create (in clay) to represent our own lives can be worn on a necklace or stacked on a dowel to look like a traditional totem pole.
Day 3. Gourd Rattles: Rhythm and dance are universal ways to express yourself and communicate your ideas and talents. The rattles will be embellished with ancient and contemporary images, feathers and beads.
Day 4. Storytelling Quilts: Quilts are made to give warmth and comfort. They can also be a way to tell family history or current stories. Each participant will create their own story telling quilt squares using fabric, beads, ribbons and drawn images. Participants are encouraged to bring a few personal items or pictures (that can be cut and sewn) to attach to the quilt to personalize its message.

Week 2

“Magical Motion: The Art of Optical Toys”
Instructor: Chris Todd
Date: Monday – Thursday, July 7-10
Morning Session: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Afternoon Session: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Eligible participants: High School Students 14-18 years old

Do you like movies and television? Watch cartoons? Ever spun a thaumatrope? Believe it or not, movies, television, and animation have a history, and that history begins with toys. This workshop will allow students to learn how to make images move through the hands-on creation of optical toys. Participants will make a thaumatrope, a zoetrope, and a flip book based on their own creative ideas.

Week 3

“The Planetary Players Percussion Ensemble: A Hands-on Drumming Workshop”
Instructor: Will Clipman
Date: Monday – Thursday, July 14-17
Morning Session: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. for ages 6-9
Afternoon Session: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. for ages 10-13

Participants learn to speak the universal language of rhythm on the talking drum along with three different world music rhythms on three different hand-held percussion instruments (the agogo, claves, and axatse). They will also learn to integrate three different rhythms into a complex polyrhythm and to follow the heartbeat of the Mother Drum (the songba) and play a musical arrangement as part of a twelve-piece percussion ensemble. They will learn advanced concepts of drum construction and tuning and explore the Science of Sound. They will enjoy raising a racket while developing fundamental pattern recognition, language acquisition, mathematical computation, right-left brain neural integration, concentration, coordination, communication, and cooperation skills in a creative and encouraging atmosphere.

Week 4

“Recycle-Re-use-Re-create”
Instructor: Carol Panaro-Smith
Date: Monday – Thursday, July 21-24
Morning Session: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Afternoon Session: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Eligible participants: High School Students 14-18 years old

In this workshop participants will explore the world of mixed media. Using materials already existing in some context, they will be recreating them and making them new. Through collage, altered books, found object sculpture and even fashion, they will be making the old new and fresh again.

Week 5

“Can You Draw an Apple? With your Eyes Closed?”
Instructor: Angela Ellsworth
Date: Monday – Thursday, July 28-31
Morning Session: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Afternoon Session: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Eligible participants: High School Students 14-18 years old

Students will learn how to draw what they see by using traditional drawing skills. And once they’ve practiced these skills, we’ll break all the rules and use experimental approaches to drawing! This workshop will include fun exercises that allow participants to make drawings based on ALL the senses. If you’ve always wanted to draw the perfect apple with your eyes closed; this workshop is for you! No drawing experience necessary.

Week 6

“Write and Illustrate Your Own Book”
Instructor: Cyndi Coon
Date: Monday – Thursday, August 4-7
Morning Session: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. for ages 10-12
Afternoon Session: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. for ages 10-12

The workshop will kick off day one with a brainstorming session on character development. Each participant will dream up a cast of characters. We will write about what the characters look like, what they like to do and about the adventure they will take; short stories will be written about this adventure. Days two and three will be spent refining the story and illustrating the characters and the individual background pages. On the final day it will all together into a bound book.

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Everyone one of these sessions is free. They all take place at the Fruit Packing Shed at Sahuaro Ranch, 9802 N. 59th Ave. Glendale, AZ 85302. To register you child call 623-930-3755. Space is limited, so reserve now!