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Gardens, Art, & Nature – What a Way to Spend the Summer!

If you’re searching for something unique, fun, and secretly educational, then check out these entertaining options: Western Kentucky Botanical Garden’s Garden Camp, Owensboro Museum of Fine Art’s Free Art program, and The GREENing Western Kentucky Project’s Discover Music, Discover Nature, Discover Maple Mount camp at Mount St. Joseph’s. Each of these Camps promises an unforgettable summer experience for your kids!

            The Western Kentucky Botanical Gardens will offer two exciting camps this summer: Garden Camp for kids ages 6-9 and Grandparents Camp for one participating adult accompanied by one child ages 6-12 (additional fee per extra child). Each of these camps offers an extraordinary experience in the Garden. Participants will have the opportunity to get hands on with nature and learn about a wide range of topics including growing plants, herbs, and how to cook with herbs. They will also be able to explore the Garden’s pond for local wildlife and plant life. 

WKBG will unveil their Big Botanicals 2009 exhibit June 14.

            Garden Camp takes place June 8-12 from 9 a.m. – noon. Grandparents Camp takes place on June 15 – 19, 9 a.m. – noon as well. Please call (270) 852-8925 for pricing information and reservations.

            As an extra day of fun, WKBG will host “Youthful Talents” on June 14. This will be a day filled with excitement as they unveil their Big Botanicals 2009 exhibit! The Owensboro Public Schools Fine Arts Camp will be on hand to provide engaging entertainment. Games, crafts, delicious Moonlight BBQ, and picnicking areas will swirl together to create a festive atmosphere!  And the best part – it’s FREE!!

            Beginning June 22 and continuing through July 17, the Owensboro Museum of Fine Art will offer Free Art, an art education program for children ages 6-15. Local artists will conduct special sessions designed to offer kids the opportunity to experiment in a variety of media, including drawing, painting, basket making, weaving, book making, clay sculpture and photography. These workshops, which will be held on the museum’s lawn, will be offered from 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. for ages 6 - 10 and 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. for ages 11 – 15. And the best part – these fantastic workshops are absolutely free.

            Talented artists will be on hand to educate your kids in several art forms. Under the direction of local artist, Enid Roach, children can learn to make a clay animal sculpture. Kentucky artist, Jane McTeigue, will show them how to create their own unique pop-up books. Louisville fiber artist, Pat Sturtzel, shows how to turn ordinary fabric into a uniquely printed backpack, while artist Theo Malla will demonstrate techniques in drawing, painting and collage.

            The Art Museum’s own staff will help children examine Owensboro history while creating buffalo masks with Special Events Coordinator, Rocky Cecil. Education Coordinator, Louise Halsey, will teach the art of handmade crafts such as basket making and puppet making. Graphics Designer, Jason Hayden, will teach the basics of composition and layout in photography classes.

            On July 8 and 15 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., the entire family can join in on the fun at the Chalk Drawing Days at Ryan Park – for FREE! You must register to be apart of all this creative fun, so call the Owensboro Museum of Fine Arts at (270) 685-3181 by June 12. Space is limited, so don’t delay!

            Perhaps the most unique summer camp experience awaits your youngsters at the Discover Music, Discover Nature, Discover Maple Mount at the beautiful 780-acre Maple Mount campus in western Daviess County, home to the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph. This awesome camp will encourage children ages 10-12 to get in tune with nature and music, to take what you hear around you and transform it into music and in doing so, become one with nature. Maple Mount is all about how the outdoors and music come together in a gentle fusion to not only provide entertainment, but to provide your kids with the opportunity to learn several new tasks they might not otherwise have the opportunity to learn elsewhere.

            From June 8-13, kids can experience a camp unlike any other. Each day, they’ll participate in activities such as swimming, storytelling, or a nature walk; they will also have time for relaxation, reflection, and community gathering; at night performances of clogging, square dancing and singing will bookend their busy day. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided of course.

Local folk musician Heath Eric (Right) will show off his unique and original, homegrown blend of acoustic soul music alon with renowned Appalachian folk Artist, Carla Gover (Left).

            Core and elective class options include learning about the wild plants of Kentucky with herbalist Andrew Bently; learning about Kentucky culture through art with folk artist Carla Gover; developing songwriting and recording skills with musician Randy Lanham; experiencing music and the universe with musician and wilderness survivalist, John Rose; and discover Native American culture with Native American artist, John Silverthorn. During these classes, kids will learn about everything from basic wilderness skills to how to create their own music to Native American Ceremonies.

            Elective options are even more diverse: dancing, clogging, scrapbooking, songwriting, jewelry making, shelter building, fire making, fiddling, preparing drinking water, recording music, and making natural cordage. Kids can also choose from learning about mandolin history, wild edible plants, lichens, tree identification, and several more.

            These fantastic weeklong activities are just leading up to the main event – the camp finale on Saturday night. This will give all the kids the chance to show off what they learned throughout the week, culminating into a free outdoor concert open to the public. Local folk musician Heath Eric will show off his unique and original, homegrown blend of acoustic soul music along with renowned Appalachian folk Artist, Carla Gover. These talented performers will not only provide rootsy entertainment, but reiterate what these kids have learned all week: music and nature go hand in hand.          

            Sister Amelia Stenger, director of the Mount Saint Joseph Conference and Retreat Center says it best, “Music has been a part of the human experience since the first breeze blew over reeds, the first bird sang a song, and a mother first hummed to her baby. It is in the rustling of leaves, the rhythms of ocean waves, and the laughter of children. Indeed, it is all around us. Join us, in the beauty and wonder of Maple Mount, as we explore music and nature in their most intimate and purest forms.” 

            For specific details, pricing, and registration information, please visit www.discovermaplemount.org.