2025 Summer Camps

If you are new to The Create Everyday Classroom Summer ART Camps, WELCOME! Please scroll down to familiarize yourself by reading GENERAL CAMP INFORMATION at the bottom of this post.

Stanley and his influences: June 16 - 20

watch THIS on Stanley Whitney

"I'll go where the work takes me. I always tell people if it goes out the window, I'll follow it" - Stanley Whitney

From the quilters of Gee’s Bend to Piet Mondrian to Agnes Martin to Stanley Whitney. Establishing a structure within which to create can be community building, representational, meditative, bold and liberating. 

mostly drawing and painting  

“Art work is a representation of our devotion to life” - Agnes Martin

 "Hope" is the thing with... : June 23-27

"The dignity of the artist lies in (their) duty of keeping awake the sense of wonder in the world." - Marc Chagall

 

Georges Braque, Marc Chagall, and Beauford Delaney artist studies (a lot of painting), museum scavenger hunt, primitive clay forms, poster design

 

"Painting is a nail to which I fasten my ideas." - Georges Braque

Art is for Everyone: August 11 - 15

REGISTRATION IS CLOSED for Art is for Everyone. Thank you.

"Nothing is an end because it can always be a basis for something new and different.." - Keith Haring

We designated one day during Rule Breakers Summer Camp last year 

for a Keith Haring artist study:

This year, we're going to dedicate an entire camp to this artist and his work!

doodling, large scale drawing + painting, poster design, performance art + play

"Children know something that most people have forgotten...I am now 28 years old on the outside and nearly twelve years old on the inside.  I always want to stay twelve years old on the inside." - Keith Haring

Ninth Street Women: August 25 - 29

REGISTRATION IS CLOSED for 

Ninth Street Women. Thank you.

inspired by the book of the same title

"Whatever the medium, there is the difficulty, challenge, fascination and often productive clumsiness of learning a new method: the wonderful puzzles and problems..." - Helen Frankenthaler

These Five Painters (Helen Frankenthaler, Grace Hartigan, Elaine de Kooning, Lee Krasner, Joan Mitchell) were not only the catalysts for new approaches in painting, they were pioneers for women in art.

mostly abstract painting with a bit of collage and figure work

"Somehow, in painting I try to make some logic out of the world that has been given to me in chaos."  - Grace Hartigan

GENERAL CAMP INFORMATION 

The Create Everyday Classroom Summer ART Camps are Monday through Friday, 9am - 1pm  Because of small class sizes, variations on lessons are easily provided when taking into consideration age, interest, and skill.  Camp sizes are small (10 participants) with an age range in each of 4 to 12 years. 

With TEN years of SUMMER CAMP at The Create Everyday Classroom, rituals have been created that returning students look forward to every year.  In addition to visiting the museum (Mia on Thursdays),  there is silly walk day, water balloon day, balloons in the museum courtyard and popsicle day.

Students come prepared with their own mid morning snack, water bottle and lunch. We have daily picnics on the MCAD campus or in the Mia courtyard (weather permitting).

Last year, during IN THE CITY Summer Camp we met up with Urban Sketchers.  This was such an incredible experience for both parties, the facilitator and I are going to do our best to coordinate one event during EVERY CAMP week this year.  Get a glimpse of what this might look like here: 

Each camp is $295 per week.  A non refundable $150 deposit secures your child's seat with a balance of $145 due the Monday of summer camp week.  Seat reservations may be made 

via venmo @Kari-Maxwell 

citing your camp(s) of choice in the memo  

You will receive confirmation of your seat(s) via a venmo return memo  Once a camp’s seats have filled, “Registration is closed. Thank you!” will appear under the corresponding camp dates.   

If this is your first time enrolling, in addition to your payment, please email createeverydayclassroom@gmail.com with the full name and age of your child(ren). More elaborate camp details and necessary paperwork is sent out via email in May.

And, to ALL families, past and present: Thank you for your referrals. For the ten years my program has been in place, word of mouth continues to be my only form of advertisement. With that being said, if this link has been shared with you by another, please let me know who referred you in your email. 

Take a peek into previous years of The Create Everyday Summer ART Camps HERE and HERE

2024 Summer Camps

If you are new to The Create Everyday Classroom Summer ART Camps, WELCOME!

Please scroll down to familiarize yourself by reading 

GENERAL CAMP INFORMATION at the bottom of this post.

In the City

REGISTRATION is CLOSED 

for In the City 

THANK YOU 

July 15 - July 19

appropriate for ages 4 - 10+ years

A study of the city and the beauty that can be found in its midst.  Did you know Ellsworth Kelly created an entire series of paintings from the sight of one trampled paper cup?

Urban sketching, the Minneapolis skyline (as seen and diagrammed at Mia) and many children's book illustrators who have a special eye for this subject

color mixing, texture gathering, pigeons too!

Pacita Abad and Paul Klee cityscapes

Primarily working in collage, drawing, mixed media and painting

Rule Breakers in ART

REGISTRATION is CLOSED 

for Rule Breakers in Art

THANK YOU 

July 29 - August 2

appropriate for ages 4 - 10+

In addition to many artists who broke the rules including Picasso, Pollock, Wayne Thiebaud and Andy Warhol, the emphasis of our studies and personal creations will be influenced by Pacita Abad, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring and Helen Frankenthaler

Primarily drawing, painting and simple printing methods

Yarn Camp Squared

REGISTRATION is CLOSED 

for Yarn Camp Squared. 

 THANK YOU. 

August 19 - August 23

appropriate for ages 4 - 10+ years

Back by popular demand, an evolved version of Yarn Camp from the Summer of 2019. We'll be sure to be steeped in yarn again  We'll study textile artist Sheila Hicks and (phenomenal) local artist, Eric Rieger, known as HOTTEA. We'll be influenced by Frida Kahlo's distinct clothing style and study Pacita Abad's approach to giving new life to clothing (image below) with her painting designs.

We will be working primarily with felt, thread, paint and so much yarn.  Make sure to hold on to some older clothing items your children can revitalize with fresh paint during this camp!

A special note to adults: You may notice that Pacita Abad will be taking on a bit of the curriculum in every camp I offer this summer.  Pacita Abad is having her first retrospective.  The first stop for this traveling exhibit was at the Walker in the Spring and Summer of 2023.  I have immersed myself in Pacita Abad as a result and did visit the exhibit three different times over the course of its Minneapolis visit.   If you are interested in learning more, I have found this particular piece the most informative.   Currently, this retrospective can be viewed at SFMOMA in San Francisco.

GENERAL CAMP INFORMATION

The Create Everyday Classroom Summer ART Camps are Monday through Friday, 9am - 1pm  Because of small class sizes, variations on lessons are easily provided when taking into consideration age, interest, and skill.  Camp sizes are small (10 participants) with an age range in each of 4 to 10 years. Older students (older than ten years) are welcome and usually also enroll.  

With nine years of SUMMER CAMP at The Create Everyday Classroom, rituals have been created that returning students look forward to every year.  In addition to visiting the museum (Mia on Thursdays),  there is silly walk day, water balloon day, balloons in the museum courtyard and popsicle day.

Students come prepared with their own mid morning snack, water bottle and lunch. We have daily picnics on the MCAD campus or in the Mia courtyard (weather permitting).

Each camp is $295 per week.  A non refundable $150 deposit secures your child's seat with a balance of $145 due the Monday of summer camp week.  Seat reservations may be made via venmo @Kari-Maxwell citing your camp(s) of choice in the memo  

If this is your first time enrolling, in addition to your payment, please email createeverydayclassroom@gmail.com with the full name and age of your child(ren). More elaborate camp details and necessary paperwork is sent out via email in May.

View Summer ART Camp slideshows from 2023  HERE

2023/2024 academic year: classes + workshops

 

We make art year round in the classroom

Our '23/'24 calendar is as follows:

Spring Break Art Camp 2024

April 1 - 5

9am - 1pm

Registration closes March 5

museum day slideshow 2023

view more spring break slideshows here

Thursday is museum day. This involves a walking field trip to Mia with sketchbooks. 

2024 Spring Break Camp $295

venmo @Kari-Maxwell 

Students come prepared with their own mid morning snack, water bottle and lunch

If you are new to the classroom, please email your child's name and age

createeverydayclassroom@gmail.com

Students come prepared with their own mid morning snack, water bottle and lunch

If you are new to the classroom, please email your child's name and age

createeverydayclassroom@gmail.com

There is always a slight (very slight) chance the curriculum may change for a particular workshop.  There are a multitude of reasons why this might happen.  

I promise to provide an as engaging lesson as a substitute.

If you’d like to coordinate other workshop days (not recognized here) and you have a minimum of four students who can attend, please contact me with your date preferences. I would be happy to work with you. 

Mother's Day classes

Saturday, May 11 

time slots TBA

First Session of 2024 Summer Camp

view this link for 2024 summer camp details

follow along on instagram and facebook

Thanksgiving workshop: 

Wed, November 22, 2023

9am - 1pm

slideshow from previous Thanksgiving workshops

Thanksgiving workshop $75

venmo @Kari-Maxwell 

REGISTRATION IS CLOSED for the Thanksgiving workshop. Thank you. 

Students come prepared with their own mid morning snack, water bottle and lunch.

If you are new to the classroom, please email your child's name and age

createeverydayclassroom@gmail.com

Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King, Jr! workshop

Monday, January 15, 2024  

9am - 1pm

REGISTRATION IS CLOSED

THANK YOU

MLK workshop $75

venmo @Kari-Maxwell 

Students come prepared with their own mid morning snack, water bottle and lunch.

If you are new to the classroom, please email your child's name and age

createeverydayclassroom@gmail.com

Presidents' Day workshop

Monday, February 19, 2024 

9am - 1pm

Presidents' Day workshop $75

Maira Kalman illustrator study and Jasper John artist study

venmo @Kari-Maxwell 

Students come prepared with their own mid morning snack, water bottle and lunch

If you are new to the classroom, please email your child's name and age

createeverydayclassroom@gmail.com

2023 Summer ART Camps

If you are new to The Create Everyday Classroom Summer ART Camps, please scroll down to familiarize yourself by reading GENERAL CAMP INFORMATION at the bottom of this post.

JUNE 19 - 23 ::::::::::: Artists and Their Animal Companions 

So many artists had animal companions they've written books on the subject.  Study classics such as Paul Klee, Franz Marc, Henri Matisse, Andy Warhol and current artists, Miroco Machiko and Kara Kramer. 

We will draw, paint, print, collage and use mixed media methods, creating our own interpretations of these artists' works in addition to developing favorite animal subjects of our own.

REGISTRATION IS CLOSED for June’s camp. 

Thank you. 

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

JULY 17 - 21 :::::::::::::::::::::::: PLORK!

Corita Kent saw art everywhere and taught her students to look at their immediate surroundings as such.  This camp will involve daily walks with view finders and sketchbooks where we will find art in every day experiences.  

In the classroom, we will practice Corita Kent's approach to art making while practicing some of Kara Kramer's art making methods with painting, collage, hand lettering, mark making and simple animation.

* Corita Kent thought of play as work.  She believed work should also involve play. 

With this conviction, the word "plork" was born.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

AUGUST 21 - 25 ::::::::::::::::: BEST OF 

Picasso guitars, carp kites, yarn/textile art, Miroco Machiko's vegetables, Wayne Thiebaud's sweets (donuts) and more. 

Revisit or be introduced to the classroom's favorite lessons while forming, painting, building, and creating textile art.

Registration is closed

for August’s camp. 

Thank you!

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

GENERAL CAMP INFORMATION

With eight years of SUMMER CAMP at The Create Everyday Classroom, rituals have been created that returning students look forward to every year.  In addition to visiting the museum (on Thursdays),  there is silly walk day (view videos here), water balloon day, balloons in the museum courtyard and popsicle day.

The Create Everyday Classroom Summer ART Camps are Monday through Friday, 9am - 1pm  Because of small class sizes, variations on lessons are easily provided when taking into consideration age, interest, and skill.  Camp sizes are small (10 participants) with an age range in each of 4 to 10 years.

Each camp is $295 per week.  A non refundable $150 deposit secures your child's seat with a balance of $145 due the Monday of summer camp week.  

Seat reservations may be made via venmo ( @Kari-Maxwell).  

If this is your first time enrolling, in addition to your payment, please email

createeverydayclassroom@gmail.com with the full name and age of your child(ren).

Students come prepared with their own mid morning snack, water bottle and lunch. We have daily picnics on the MCAD campus or in the Mia courtyard (weather permitting).

You can take a peek into Summer ART Camps at The Create Everyday Classroom by visiting + viewing these slideshows.

a word from the founder

When I am not painting in my studio, I am developing curriculum or teaching at my tiny little art school in the Whittier neighborhood of Minneapolis.


I get such a charge out of designing curriculum.  Since I founded The Create Everyday Classroom in 2013, I am beginning to collect a wealth of rich lessons.  I still prefer to create and teach new curriculum though.  I love sitting down and figuring out how to puzzle piece together at least two of the following: artist studies, art making methods, children's books and museum visits.  More often than not, I find a common thread between three or four.


My class sizes are small.  I teach an average of ten students per session between the ages of 4 and 10 years.  I have found this number of students allows for a more individual, open ended curriculum which is the most important quality for me.   I want students to always feel the freedom to improvise, make adaptions and experiment while having the support they need to do this.

Having been a Montessori teacher for over fifteen years, I am a firm believer that there be a significant age range in each class.  One element of my curriculum design involves creating variations within each lesson so that all students will feel challenged and engaged.  Under this paradigm, students have the  ability to absorb the layers and complexities involved in making art.

To peruse classes and workshops through May 2024, visit THIS LINK

sketching at the Minneapolis Institute of Art

Sometimes, I think, the children's sketchbooks are their most important work. Even though, by the time they go home, the children usually can't remember what sight or thought was the catalyst for which mark, shape or scribble.

This student has filled a handful of sketchbooks in my classes. There have been many pages that have gone home empty too. Somehow, without any inhibition, though, this (not quite) six year old captured movement. Just like that. There is also something else about these sketches that amaze me. This very young person already understands a certain benefit of creating several sketches on the same sight (or idea). AND this young person was obviously quite comfortable continuing an idea across the course of a sketchbook binding and consuming both pages.   WOW.

our favorite art materials

It's the season for gift giving!  

If you feel inspired to gift the young artist in your life with art materials, I have recommendations.

PAPER:

Canson XL mixed media pad, 9x12 in white.  I wish they sold this paper in reams.  I will rip each individual page out/off the spiral for student use.  This is how much I love this paper.  

For avid white charcoal, colored pencils and pastel users, I highly recommend this same brand in the color black

\

Strathmore 300 series tape bound watercolor paper.  I always buy the 11x15 paper but I am always re-sizing with our paper cutter, too.  I think it's safe to go with the 9x12 option.  By the way, we use tempera and acrylic paints on this paper too!

acrylic + watercolor landscapes on strathmore watercolor 300 series

Another FAVORITE paper for SO MANY things!

more paper: manilla 12x18 cardstock

CANVAS: ANY canvas you find will do.  

PAINT:

Hands down, over and over again, I cannot recommend Tempera brand by Tri Art enough.  More than likely you will have to order this online.  I used to be able to purchase it locally.  Student grade tempera paint by Dick Blick is a good runner up.  I have talked to Art Materials (on Lyndale) and they have recommended their chroma tempera paint as a proper replacement for the tri art brand.  I haven't tried this brand but would recommend starting here, if need be, rather than trying another.  

Instead of purchasing a set, I highly recommend creating your own set (the primary colors -  red, yellow + blue, add white and black). This encourages color mixing and self discovery.  And the mixing of colors creates more depth in a painting, let's face it.  If you want to add one more color to your set, add a magenta (when mixed with blue, the color creates a better blend of purple).  

Upon receiving these paints, students will want to use them right away.  Add a roll of kraft packaging paper so that your young artist has protection for the surface he or she will be working on.   You might as well be prepared.

Tri Art Tempera paint on large Canson XL mixed media paper

We only use liquid watercolors in the classroom and there are many reasons why I wouldn't recommend these for home use.  A regular set of crayola watercolors will work just fine (just promise me you'll throw away the brush first).

graphite pencil, sharpee and liquid watercolors on Canson XL mixed media paper

india ink : higgins

india ink on manilla cardstock

BRUSHES:

I am just going to attach the exact items here because brushes are so expensive and so overwhelming at first and brushes are SO IMPORTANT.  Hands down, over and over again, I cannot recommend these enough - white taklon by craft smart and golden taklon by craft smart.  These brushes are inexpensive and so durable. They work for ALL mediums.  I cannot emphasize enough what a priority these are. Include both of these packages with your gift.

brush prints on drop cloth

writing, mark making, drawing:

graphite pencils (primsacolor ebony pencil)

pencil sharpener (mobius ruppert brass wedge)

eraser (staedtler mars plastic)

graphite pencil in sketchbook

white charcoal pencils (general's charcoal white pencils)

white charcoal pencil on black Canson XL paper

Lyra watercolor crayons!  We use the black ones for (almost) every class. Unfortunately, I haven’t found a place where I can purchase them as singles or in bulk. I have confidence this small set will be enjoyed. 

nibs: (manga cartoon comic drawing painting kit tool)

india ink and nib pen on canson XL mixed media paper

markers:  These are a pretty penny and for the more advanced artist.  If you'd like to start collecting, you can purchase them in singles.  Perhaps supply the young artist with a shade of their favorite color.  These markers are magic and are a beautiful embellishment to dried watercolor paintings.  I really like the copic ciao.

watercolor + copic marker on canson XL mixed media paper

NOTHING brings absolute delight to a child more than a brand new set of crayola markers.  I cannot emphasize enough that these markers be broad (vs fine).  I always have these in the classroom and when I bring in new boxes, the students' expressions are priceless.  Just know they have a very short life.

crayola markers, broad line, skin tones set

COLORED PENCILS: hands down, over and over again THESE - koh-l-noor progresso woodless colored pencils

PASTELS: I don't have any easy recommendations here.  You must pay for quality, in this department. I find it best to go to an art store and create your own set, purchasing one at a time.  Best to choose the cylinder shape (rather than prisms). Start your soft pastel collection as you might with paints or choose a shade of the child's favorite color and add two more.  Include wet wipes with these as children's hands will become quickly stained from blending (a very good thing)!

grid drawing portrait, soft pastels

CLAY: 

ALWAYS a favorite

We had a clay camp where we experimented with all types of air dry and oven bake clay.  The vote was  unanimous for Crayola Air Dry in white (not in terra cotta).   The students' creations will crumble over time (but their creations will last for a good 6 mos).  The joy exchanged in the interim is all that matters. There is so much joy in clay.  This brand is easy to paint too!

crayola air dry clay in white, painted with student grade Dick Blick tempera