A Magical Monsters Art & Creative Writing Camp

Let your imagination frolic, romp, and soar in this super fun art and creative writing camp! Create a mystical menagerie of creatures with words, moving pictures, sculptures and pop-up books. Guided by ArtStart’s fearless artists and writers, you will explore distant planets and swim on the golden shores of your creativity, where hippogriffs, dragons, and mermaids abound.

8:30-10:00am

Creative Writing: In the Land of Magic

Explore the timeless territory of magic and write your own myth-inspired tale! Students will record the hair-raising adventures of a main character who sets out on a journey and along the way, encounters magical monsters and mystical beings. Students invent their own settings, characters, and plot and discover the adventure asthey go along. This class is perfect for anyone who loves magic and writing. Taught by Marie Olofsdotter.

Marie Olofsdotter is a Swedish-born artist who has been drawing pictures as far back as she can remember. She creates books for young readers, paints, and writes poems. Her accolades include a Minnesota Book Award, a Loft Mentor Series Award in Poetry, grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board, and the Jerome Foundation. She credits her work as a teaching artist to her two years in clown school in Stockholm and California, because it motivated her to bring her visual and literary arts to large audiences, and she swears by the Steve Linsner quote that says “A clown in a poet who is also an orangutang.”

10:15-11:45am 

Storytelling: Worlds of Wonder

You have the power to produce magic! Pick up a pen, unleash your imagination, and create worlds full of wonder. Young writers, get ready to embark on an extraordinary adventure! Explore mysterious lands, discover hidden realms, and bring fantastical creatures to life. Join us to craft stories full of surprises, where the next sentence could lead anywhere! Taught by Karlyn Coleman

Karlyn Coleman is an award-winning writer, teacher, and creative collaborator based in Minneapolis. She is a certified teacher and has taught at the Loft Literary Center for over ten years and has been a part of the Young Author’s Conference for the past four years. She loves visiting schools, libraries, and youth organizations to share writing activities of all kinds. www.karlyncoleman.com

Ages 9-12

Early Bird Pricing: 5% off until Feb. 3

Half day = $237.50/week (code HALFDAY25)

Full day = $427.50/week (code EARLYBIRD25) 

ArtStart’s Camp CREATE is geared for youth ages 13 years+ who want to explore their artist within as they work side- by-side with professional artists to create art inspired by a specific culture.

Camp Create is perfect for youth who want to explore their imagination through a variety of art media, learn about the arts of a culture, and gain new skills in making art. Designed to inspire creativity and gain insights about a specific culture, these classes encourage participants to think outside the box, see people and things with new eyes, and gain new art skills and techniques using different art media. The theme of Camp Create 2025 is Passport to India:  A Mosaic of Traditions. Camp Create includes 4 different arts experiences for the camp June 23-26, 2025.

Campers will participate in:

Mosaics and Herbal Lore with Laurie Witzkowski: 9:00-10:15am

Ancient India developed Ayurvedic medicine, which uses plants for healing…a practice that is still in use today! Working with artist and herbalist Laurie Witzkowski, learn about some of the plants and their uses, sample some teas and other preparations, and take home a syrup or salve made in our classroom. AND, using papers and found objects, create a beautiful plant mosaic, inspired by the gorgeous mosaics seen in the Taj Mahal, India’s most famous ancient temple!

Metal embossing with Gustavo Boada: 10:30-11:45am

Rajasthan in northern India is the main center for brass engraving. Traditional designs and floral patterns are hammered or embossed on the surface of the metal. Work with artist Gustavo Boada to learn the technique of embossing. Then incorporate traditional Indian designs and create a beautiful photo frame or box wrapped in metal.

Textiles with Julie Boada: 12:30-1:45pm

In India beaded embroidery, Moochi Aari or just Aari, is a popular way to decorate garments and other furnishings. Join artist Julie Boada as she teaches the technique of using a special needle to apply beads, pearls, and sequins to fabric. Then using the Aari technique create your own special Indian inspired design on fabric.

Lanterns with Tara Fahey: 1:45-3:00pm

India is known for its colorful paper and fabric lanterns. Get inspired by the beautiful star-shaped pieces commonly displayed during Diwali, and the fabric ones known in Rajasthan. Then work with artist Tara Fahey to create your own vibrant vessels of light to decorate your room.

For ages 13-17.

5% early bird discount until Feb. 1st. Use code CREATE25

Paying It Forward: Internship Program

One of the ways older ArtStart campers can turn their knowledge and skill learned in Camp CREATE into action, is to assist artists and staff as interns in ArtStart’s 2-week Passport to India camp for younger children ages 4-12 years. Interns work side-by- side with professional teaching artists to assist in the classroom.

The internship program is for youth ages 13 years & older. There are 16 openings for full-day internships this year. Interns receive a stipend each week. To be apply for an internship both new and returning interns should complete the following by April 25, 2025:

1. Fill out the application for interns by April 25. You will receive notification regarding the internship within one week.

2. Register for Camp Create offered June 23-26, 2024 from 9 am-3 pm.

A Magical Monsters Art & Creative Writing Camp

Let your imagination frolic, romp, and soar in this super fun art and creative writing camp! Create a mystical menagerie of creatures with words, moving pictures, sculptures and pop-up books. Guided by ArtStart’s fearless artists and writers, you will explore distant planets and swim on the golden shores of your creativity, where hippogriffs, dragons, and mermaids abound.

12:30-2:00pm

Visual Storytelling: Comical Crankies

Long before television, people in India used the crankie as a way to tell a story with pictures. All you need is a box, some dowels, a long scroll of paper, and a really tall tale! In this class taught by puppeteer Kallie Melvin,you will invent stories of enchantment, decorate your box, then create a long cartoon that moves as you crank it. Taught by Kallie Melvin.

Kallie Melvin is a puppeteer and teaching and performing artist. Several of the places she has worked with include Monkeybear Harmolodics Workshop, In the Heart of the Beast Mask and Puppet Theatre, Z Puppets, ArtStart, Puppet Lab at Open Eye, and Weisman Art Museum. She is also the Acting Regional Director of Puppeteers of America Great Plains. She uses her original puppetry work as a means to tell stories and explore her experiences as an intercontinental transracial adoptee growing up in the Twin Cities.

2:15-3:45pm 

Construction Arts & Creative Writing: Junk-tastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Create magical new beasts from reuse materials like egg cartons, mylar, and feathers! Then name your critter and write stories about them! Does your beastie fly, or swim, or apparate into different dimensions? What magical powers does it have? Is it loving, crabby, fond of chocolate-covered pickles?

Taught by aegor ray.

aegor ray is a writer and community organizer based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was a Loft Mentor Series Fellow in poetry, a participant in Tin House Summer Workshops and a Lambda Literary Scholar. He is a Sagittarius.

Ages 6-8

Early Bird Pricing: 5% off until Feb. 3

Half day = $237.50/week (code HALFDAY25)

Full day = $427.50/week (code EARLYBIRD25) 

A Magical Monsters Art & Creative Writing Camp

Let your imagination frolic, romp, and soar in this super fun art and creative writing camp! Create a mystical menagerie of creatures with words, moving pictures, sculptures and pop-up books. Guided by ArtStart’s fearless artists and writers,you will explore distant planets and swim on the golden shores of your creativity,where hippogriffs, dragons, and mermaids abound.

12:30-2:00pm

Construction Arts & Creative Writing: Junk-tastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Create magical new beasts from reuse materials like egg cartons, mylar, and feathers! Then name your critter and write stories about them! Does your beastie fly, or swim, or apparate intodifferent dimensions? What magical powers does it have? Is it loving, crabby, fond of chocolate-covered pickles? Taught by aegor ray

aegor ray is a writer and community organizer based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was a Loft Mentor Series Fellow in poetry, a participant in Tin House Summer Workshops and a Lambda Literary Scholar. He is a Sagittarius.

2:15-3:45pm 

Visual Storytelling:Comical Crankies

Long before television, people in India used the crankie as a way to tell a story with pictures. All you need is a box, some dowels, a long scroll of paper, and a really tall tale! In this class taught by puppeteer Kallie Melvin,you will invent stories of enchantment, decorate your box, then create a long cartoon that moves as you crank it. Taught by Kallie Melvin.

Kallie Melvin is a puppeteer and teaching and performing artist. Several of the places she has worked with include Monkeybear Harmolodics Workshop, In the Heart of the Beast Mask and Puppet Theatre, Z Puppets, ArtStart, Puppet Lab at Open Eye, and Weisman Art Museum. She is also the Acting Regional Director of Puppeteers of America Great Plains. She uses her original puppetry work as a means to tell stories and explore her experiences as an intercontinental transracial adoptee growing up in the Twin Cities.

Ages 9-12

Early Bird Pricing: 5% off until Feb. 3

Half day = $237.50/week (code HALFDAY25)

Full day = $427.50/week (code EARLYBIRD25) 

A Start With the Arts meets daily Monday-Friday and offers 4-5 year-olds the opportunity to work with an art educator  to explore the art, culture and wildlife of India through movement, drama, art making and other hands-on activities. The program for pre-schoolers parallels the school-age program in theme and content.

 For ages 4 – 5.

8:30am

Tanjore painting is one of the most popular art forms of Southern India. An ancient art, Tanjore painting incorporates semi-precious stones, glass and gold into the painting. Work with artist Melodee Strong create your own Tanjore inspired painting complete with jeweled cabochons, gold foil and more.

10:15am

Pulikkali is a traditional art form in which people dress up as tigers. The word Pulikkali means “tigerplay” or “tiger dance” and is part of the Onam Festival, a harvest festival, celebrated in the state of Kerala, southeast India. Join artist Gustavo Boada and create your own tiger mask, costume, and dance. For ages 9-12.

8:30am

Pulikkali is a traditional art form in which people dress up as tigers. The word Pulikkali means “tiger play” or “tiger dance” and is part of the Onam Festival, a harvest festival, celebrated in the state of Kerala, southeast India. Join artist Gustavo Boada and create your own tiger mask, costume, and dance.

10:15am

Tanjore painting is one of the most popular art forms of Southern India.An ancient art, Tanjore painting incorporates semi-precious stones,glass and gold into the painting. Work with artist Melodee Strong create your own Tanjore inspired painting complete with jeweled cabochons, gold foil and more.

For ages 6 – 8.

8:30am

Pulikkali is a traditional art form in which people dress up as tigers. The word Pulikkali means “tigerplay” or “tiger dance” and is part of the Onam Festival, a harvest festival, celebrated in the stateof Kerala, southeast India. Join artist Julie Boada and create your own tiger mask, costume, and dance.

10:15am

Ancient India developed Ayurvedic medicine, which uses plants for healing…a practice that is still in use today! Working with artist and herbalist Laurie Witzkowski, learn about some of the plants and their uses, sample some teas and other preparations, and take home a syrup or salve made in our classroom. AND, using papers and found objects, create a beautiful plant mosaic, inspired by the gorgeous mosaics seen in the Taj Mahal, India’s most famous ancient temple!

For ages 6 – 8.