Tryon Daily Bulletin article from 2012
Instructor Marla Bailey works with Summer Sizzler participant Emma Woodward Burdett on a weaving project. (photo by Julia McIntyre)
Inside the woodshop of Tryon Arts and Crafts School young students worked last week to drill pieces of wood together as they created tool and flower boxes. An hour earlier, they had finished weaving together material.
Both activities were part of Tryon Arts and Craft School’s Summer Sizzler art camp.
“It was very educational and fun,” said participant Gavin Hyder. “You end up with a lot of things to display at home.”
Diana Jackson has worked with the program since she came to Tryon Arts & Crafts School, and she said the program has been ongoing since long before the school moved to its current location at Harmon Field.
“[Participants] may find something they really love, they may not,” Jackson said. “But at least when they go see artwork in actual galleries they will have an appreciation for what it took the artist to create that piece.”
Youth who participated in the first session of the weeklong program displayed their works for parents Friday, July 13. Their exhibit tables overflowed with projects ranging from metalwork to pastels.
Wade Morgan wasn’t shy in his opinion of the camp. In fact, he couldn’t even define a favorite part of the camp; he just beamed with excitement.
“It was all awesome,” Morgan said.
Hyder said as an only child he enjoyed being around the other kids and learning about so many different types of art.
“We try to expose them to real art forms – it’s not a watered down version,” Jackson said. “They are working with professional artists. It’s a hands-on program in which they actually make art in the same way artists do their work.”
Woodworker Chris Carroll shows Genevieve Gary how to drill together a toolbox. (photo by Julia McIntyre)
Jackson said this means actually fusing glass and putting a drill in their own hands to connect two pieces of wood.
Jackson said they aim to include at least nine different activities during the week for students to experience.
Jackson said the program focuses on the studio work that is currently available at the school such as weaving, glass, metalworking, jewelry and pottery. She said administrators then added series such as Linda Powell’s drumming, which has evolved into a storytelling and dancing portion. They also invited community artists to bring in other aspects to the youth camp such as Chris Baschon’s papermaking and, Marla Bailey’s weaving or Christine Mariotti’s silk painting.
“Once they’ve come in here and they’ve turned a bowl or they’ve built a toolbox they won’t look at them the same way other people might,” Jackson said. “Kids always laugh and say they don’t know where their food comes from. With art it’s very much the same thing – kids today don’t always know where cloth comes from or how their silverware was once made.”
The students left camp last Friday with plenty of artwork to fill frames, a metal bracelet to wear or give as a gift and even woven pieces.
“I knew how to sew but I didn’t even know what weaving was, so that was a lot of fun to learn about,” said camper Jayden Culver.
Some spaces are still available in week five of the program if a parent is interested in registering a child. For more information on this program or other programs at Tryon Arts and Crafts School, call 828-859-8323.
Article taken from The Tryon Daily Bulletin – http://www.tryondailybulletin.com