(Melissa Stolasz leads the 2022 Middle Grades String Camp at Sisters Art Works | Photo courtesy of Sisters Folk Festival)
Sisters Folk Festival (SFF) announces seven summer creativity camps for middle and high school-aged students at Sisters Art Works, 204 W Adams Ave., set to take place in July and August. SFF has partnered with regional teaching artists to create these fun-filled sessions of art, music, theater and self-expression. Registration opens on February 22 at 10am at sistersfolkfestival.org/creativity-camps with pay what you can pricing to ensure that no child is prevented from participating due to financial barriers.
On July 10-14, Seed to Sprout Music Camp will take place for players with minimal music experience on their chosen acoustic instrument. Teaching artist Joe Schulte, mandolin player and bandleader from Moon Mountain Ramblers, Cascade School of Music and String Theory Music School in Bend, will teach the course. Schulte will provide songs that can be played with the most basic common chords and short, easy-to-learn melodies to memorize. Students will have opportunities to try other instruments as well, offering players real life experience and showing them what each different “noise machine” can offer. Enrollment is open to students grades five-eight and will run from 9am to 4pm daily. Maximum of 20 participants.
Science and the Arts Camp is a half day camp focused on the intersection of art and science. The camp is scheduled for July 17-21. Through experiments and constructions using light and sound, campers will tap their personal creativity, finding patterns in nature and art while exploring concepts in Design Science. The camp will be led by Rob Corrigan, former chemistry, physics, engineering and math teacher at SHS. Enrollment is open to students entering grades seven-nine and will run from 9am to 12pm each day. Maximum of 16 participants.
Teaching artist and SMS science teacher Melissa Stolasz will lead a half-day Middle Grades String Camp July 24-28. This camp is open to players who have some experience on fiddle or guitar and can play a few tunes. Instruction will include two music sessions each day with additional teachers supervising and providing specific musical expertise. Students will learn new techniques on the fiddle, work on their bowing game and learn some great new tunes. Enrollment is open to students going into grades five-eight and will run from 9am to 1p2m daily. Maximum of 25 participants.
Another half-day camp focused on mixed media arts will take place July 24-28 with teaching artist and visual arts teacher Judy Fuentes. During the Impressions Creativity Camp students will explore Impressionism through a variety of mediums as they learn about Impressionistic art styles and artists. Artists will explore different subject matters, recognize personal style and practice analyzing works of art. Enrollment is open to students grades five-nine and will run from 9am to 1p2m each day in the upstairs JAM Studio at Sisters Art Works. Maximum of 16 participants.
A theater production camp titled Nothing is Without Meaning will begin on July 31 and run through August 4. Taught collaboratively by teaching artists Steven Livingston, Judy Fuentes and Jayana Hinkle, this camp will focus on building skills to help develop a deeper understanding of the creative theatrical process. Student thespians will explore the following themes: body language, expression, sound and music and intention and motivation. To explore these themes, students will be involved in group projects augmented with the study of music, drama and stage craft. The culmination of their work will be presented the last day to family, friends and community members. Enrollment is open to students grades five-nine and will run from 9am to 4pm daily. Maximum of 30 students.
From August 7-11, Joe Schulte will offer a Branch to Fruit Music Camp for players who are comfortable on their instrument and relatively fluid in the common major and minor chords found in popular music. In addition to playing together as a large group, this camp will break out into some small group ensemble sessions in which 2-4 players will work out tunes that may include custom song arrangement, individual solos, harmonies and improvisation. Enrollment is open to students grades six-nine and will run from 9am to 4pm daily. Maximum of 20 participants.
The Music in Art Creativity Camp will take place August 7-11 and will focus on exploring how music intertwines with visual arts and informs one another. Judy Fuentes will introduce students to musical influences in artworks by Wassily Kandinsky, Georgia O’Keeffe and Romare Bearden while creating with paints and collage. Enrollment is open to students entering grades five-nine and will run from 9am to 12pm daily in the upstairs JAM Studio at Sisters Art Works. Maximum of 16 participants.
The suggested tuition for each full day camp is $275 and includes lunch and snacks each day. Half day suggested tuition is $175 and includes snacks. All camps will offer pay what you can pricing to help eliminate financial barriers to participation.