MOCA Art Camp fuels an appreciation for art

What takes 1,350 pounds of clay, 40 gallons of acrylic paint, five gallons of glue, and 160 pounds of paper? Those are just a few of the ingredients that go into a successful year of MOCA Art Camp.

More than 300 students attended Art Camp at the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville, a cultural institute of the University of North Florida, last year during the spring, summer, and winter sessions. Experienced art educators teach a variety of media and skills for ages 4-14 while providing the contemporary art history context for each project.

“MOCA Art Camp is a cornerstone of MOCA's mission to develop a life-long appreciation of the arts in our youngest visitors,” said MOCA Director Caitlín Doherty. “The curriculum is specifically designed for each age group to capture their imagination with innovative projects that fuel their creativity.”

Students created more than 600 art projects, developing skills in drawing, painting, collage, printmaking, clay, graphite, papier mâché, and other media. MOCA Jacksonville also offers projects inspired by video games for ages 7-10 and artworks that incorporate digital photography, digital imaging, and movie-making techniques for ages 11-14.

“MOCA Art Camp is a phenomenal way for students to have fun while making art,” said Anthony Aiuppy, the J. Wayne and Delores Barr Weaver Educator for Family and Children's Programs. “Holding Art Camp at the Museum gives young minds exposure to contemporary art and can unleash ideas and ways of seeing while engaging in the art-making process.”

MOCA Jacksonville's education team develops themes for each age group that provide a wide array of art-making opportunities. Each project is designed to teach a specific skill related to an artist or contemporary art period and the related vocabulary of tools, mediums, and styles.

“MOCA Art Camp gives your child a fun and inspiring art-making experience while providing an appreciation of contemporary art,” said Kiersten Lampe, the camp program coordinator. “Each week challenges students with new themes to spark their inspiration.”  

This year, MOCA Jacksonville highlights some of the best examples of students' work in Art Camp Anthology, an exhibition in the Florida Blue Education Gallery on the fifth floor. The works rotate throughout the exhibition, which is on display April 15 through July 30. Meet the educators who teach at MOCA Art Camp during an open house from 2-4 p.m. on April 15.

“An important feature of MOCA Art Camp is that it's led by professional art educators who have degrees in education, studio art, or art history,” Aiuppy said. “Parents can feel secure that their children are receiving the highest level of instruction and guidance in all of our classes.”

Classes are held on the fifth floor with separate classrooms for each age group: ages 4-6, 7-10, and 11-14. An integral part of the experience is visiting the galleries each day to see examples of the artwork that will inspire their own pieces. Experienced art educators infuse contemporary art connections with art and design fundamentals to create a stimulating learning environment where students create their own two-dimensional, three-dimensional, and digital artworks.

MOCA Art Camp sessions are held during summer, winter, and spring breaks for Duval County Public Schools. Art Camp is also held during teacher planning days throughout the year.