"The Art of Nature" Summer Camp for Children offered at Pebble Hill Plantation
May 14—THOMASVILLE- The Learning Center at Pebble Hill Plantation is offering a summer camp for children who have interests in both art and nature. "The Art of Nature" camp will combine art activities and the natural world with the help of the Thomasville Center for the Arts and area wildlife experts. Dates for the camp are June 24-27.
Designed for children ages 8 to 11 years old, the camp will include journaling, observation and drawing, nature-inspired large scale art works, and the use of analog techniques with the aid of digital media to create art, according to a press release from Pebble Hill Plantation. Participants will sharpen their skills as both naturalists and artists. No previous art experience is required.
"We will be highlighting the plants and animals that call this region home," said Kitty Spivey, Pebble Hill Plantation's program coordinator. "The camp will focus on learning about the wildlife in our Pebble Hill forests and also those that camp participants can find in their own backyards."
Campers will observe plants and animals in their natural environment and learn how to help protect their habitats and how to attract wildlife to their backyards (i.e. planting pollinator gardens, bird feeders, bird houses). 'We want the children to gain an appreciation for the beautiful region that we live in and for all of the wonderful plants and animals that live around us," Spivey said.
Sam McCoy of the Thomasville Center for the Arts is a contemporary painter that focuses on Southern landscapes. McCoy will be one of the camp's leaders. McCoy is on a mission to ignite a love for nature and art in young minds, the press release said. Through engaging lessons and hands-on activities, she will seek to empower the Art of Nature campers to sharpen their observational skills and encourage them to see the beauty in even the tiniest details of their surroundings.
"From the rustle of leaves to the melodious songs of birds, every moment will be a discovery waiting to happen," McCoy said. "Through activities in their own hand-made journal, campers will capture the beauty of nature in its purest form."
McCoy enthusiastically describes sketching "magnificent local critters" to documenting the vibrant colors of the flora and learning the foundations of being a naturalist artist.
The camp will also feature visiting wildlife experts who will help ensure daily fun and adventure as campers explore and learn more about the natural world around them. On the final day of the camp, parents and friends are invited to enjoy an art exhibition and presentation by the camp participants on what they have learned during the week.
For more information, visit the Pebble Hill website www.pebblehill.com, call 229-226-2344, or visit us on Facebook and Instagram using @pebblehillplantation.
