Summer School of the Arts

Imagine… engage… collaborate… inspire… play… create… share…  express

Have fun and get inspired by participating in hands-on studio activities and explorations of the Gallery. Local practicing artists and art educators bring their wealth of talent and experience to lead our classes. Experiment with a wide range of art materials, discover new art techniques and enjoy playing around with ideas and images! Week-long sessions of full or half-day classes are available. Organized lunch time supervision at a nominal fee is provided for students attending full days as well as after care.

Week-long sessions of full or half-day classes are available in our HALIFAX LOCATION ONLY. Organized lunch time supervision at a nominal fee is provided for students attending full days as well as after care.

Important details:

• Class size is limited to 13 participants unless otherwise noted and unless there is more than one instructor.
• Extended pickup is available for afternoon classes until 4:45pm for an additional fee.
• Lunchtime supervision is available for an additional fee for full-day students only, as space is limited. Students are required to bring their lunch. 
• Students should bring a snack for mid-morning/mid-afternoon. No NUT products please!
• Some programs will take advantage of the fine weather so a hat and sunscreen are recommended.
• Art making can be messy so students remember to wear “work” clothes.

Students are to be dropped off and picked up at the studios (accessible via the First Floor Lobby). There is no supervision before 8:30am. It is suggested that students pack a snack for mid-morning and/or mid-afternoon.

Registration & Fees

Purchase camps online or in person at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia’s Information Desk, or by phone with credit card payment (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover) at (902) 424-5280 during regular Gallery hours.  

Our program continues to grow in popularity, so please register early to avoid disappointment. A limited number of sponsorships are available on a needs basis. If there is insufficient registration, a workshop will be cancelled with fees refunded two weeks prior to the start of the workshop. There is a 10% non-refundable registration fee. There are no refunds two weeks prior to the class. 

COST: $130 per a.m. or p.m. class/week. 
Gallery members are eligible to receive a 10% discount on class fees. If you have any questions about this discount or require a discount code please contact our Information Desk (902) 424-5280.

Lunch Hour and Extended Pick-up options
We offer a lunch hour option at a cost of $15/week. Extended pick-up is offered for those attending afternoon classes until 4:45 pm for a fee of $10/week. Registration is required.
 

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Ages 5-12 (Halifax Location)

Session 1: Tuesday, July 4 – Friday, July 7 (4 days only)

Working with Wood with artist Fenn Martin

Make animals, houses, vehicles, and abstract wooden sculptures! Use a wide selection of wood such as branches, pre-cut wood, dowels, and scraps, as you investigate texture, colour, shape and line through this incredible natural material. Discover artworks in the Gallery that include all things wooden!

Raving about Clay! with artist Therese Bombardier

Come explore the world of clay! Explore the tactile qualities of clay as you experiment with a variety of techniques to create innovative pottery projects that explore structure, shape and form. Discover the many possibilities of working in this medium through visits to the Gallery too!

Painting and Mixed Media Collage with artist Jenny Shi

Discover all the endless possibilities creating with various painting and collage techniques. Learn new skills in composition and design as you explore texture, patterns and colour in your artwork.

Sketch City: Drawing with artist Caitlin McGuire

Have fun sketching Halifax and your own imaginary city too! There will be lots of in-gallery sketching to gather ideas and learn different techniques for your own creations, as well as outdoor sketching excursions. Learn more about line, shape, composition, and perspective as you develop skills in drawing.

Session 2: Monday, July 10 – Friday, July 14

Making Art in Multiples: Printmaking with artist Rachel Forrestall

Stamping, mono-printing, silk screening and block printing - this class will introduce students to a variety of printmaking techniques through both collaborative and individual projects. Explore the world of printmaking, and all the wonderfully unexpected surprises of creating prints!

All things Paint with artist Rosemary Young

PAINT! PAINT! PAINT! Using the rich collection of paintings in the Gallery as a starting point, students will create their own panoramas, abstract designs, and portraits using paint on paper, canvas, wood and other interesting surfaces. Learn more about colour mixing, different mark making tools, and composition.

Design: Wear your Art with artist Sherry Jollymore

Sparkle, shine, and design!  Students will explore the world of embellishment as they play around with lots of colourful materials such as fabrics, sequins, buttons, wire, leather, found and natural objects. Using their imagination and innovative skills, students will create a personalized bracelet or wrist band, design a funky hat, and upcycle a T-shirt.

Outdoor Art with artist Agne Kubiliute

Explore art for the outdoors, and things that are at home in the natural world.  Students will make bird houses, bug and butterfly art, and garden-related art using an assortment of materials. A great class for learning more about nature and keeping the environment healthy.

Session 3: Monday, July 17 – Friday, July 21

Art Detectives with artist Justin West

There is a mystery to solve at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia and we need clever art detectives to help us out! Develop observational skills while learning new art techniques. Reveal secret messages in paint, record and sketch clues in the Gallery, unscramble codes, and use invisible ink. There will be lots of fun and action in this class!

Paper World with artist Agne Kubiliute

Layer and weave, fold and crease, bend and sculpt, tear and cut to build new and fantastic spaces, characters, and objects using different kinds of paper. Students will surprise themselves as they find new and exciting ways to use paper to create artworks in 2 and 3D.

The 3rd Dimension with artist Heather Wilkinson

Come along for a mixed media sculpture adventure! Experiment with a variety of materials including plaster strips, found objects, papier mache and wire, to make unique 3-D objects. In the Gallery, students will discover and discuss a range of sculpture from folk art to contemporary works of art.

Pop up and Flip: Bookmaking at its Best with Stephanie Dean-Moore

Bring your stories to life! Students will flip, fold and bind their stories and tales into books of all shapes and sizes. From pop-ups to flip books, and accordion folds to traditional page turners, students will have fun making artful books!

Session 4: Monday, July 24 – Friday, July 28

Make it like Maud with artist Justin West

Inspired by the well-known Nova Scotian folk artist, Maud Lewis, create folk art treasures using paint, wood, and found objects. Be inspired by what you see and what you can imagine, just like Maud. Paint on wooden boards, construct a funky folk art animal, and design your own tiny house too.

Fun with Fibre with artist Lux Habrich

Explore pattern, texture and design with textile-based techniques. Students will felt, weave, collage, and sculpt using a variety of textured materials. Lots of fun, lots to touch!

Beading and Decorative Art with artist designer Sherry Jollymore

More than just for jewelry, beads are the focus of this class! Working with wood, plastic, paper and clay beads, students will explore the colourful possibilities of beads and pattern to create decorative and functional artworks. Windchimes, keychains and personal adornments are only some of the fun things students will create while learning new skills.

Tiny Town with artist Bess Forrestall

Imagine, build and create a collaborative tiny town. Together, the class will decide what a tiny town needs to be a wonderful place to live. Does it need a harbour? A clock tower? A park? Students will go on sketching excursions to observe buildings and landmarks in Halifax. Develop characters to live in the tiny town too!

Session 5: Monday, July 31 – Friday, August 4

Claytime with artist Lux Habrich

Learn more about clay construction methods and design as you build and mold both functional vessels and creations from your imagination. Visit the Gallery to view artworks that will show you many possibilities when working with this marvelous material.

Pick of the Day with art educator Patti Nicolson

Learn more about the Gallery by viewing and making art. Each day, students will be inspired by an artist whose work is on display: learn about folk artist Maud Lewis and see her tiny Painted House; be dazzled by Harold Edgerton’s “freeze frame” photographs; discover Inuit art and craft as you explore the exhibition SakKijajuk, from Nunatsiavut; and more! Journeys through the Gallery will lead back to the studio for hands-on art making.

Drawing Outside the Lines with artist Jenny Shi

Learn about the basics of drawing and then take off from there! Using a variety of materials including pencil, charcoal, ink, and oil pastels, this exciting class will provide ideas for different ways to draw. Incorporate movement, music, and non-traditional mark-making tools into the art-making process to create both traditional and out-of-this world drawings!

Puppets and Masks with artist Bess Forrestall

Create puppets and masks using both traditional and non-traditional materials to develop different characters.  Explore ways that characters move and express themselves through speech or sound by animating these visual objects through play.

Session 6: Monday, August 14 – Friday, August 18

Art in Season with artist Melinda Spooner

Explore the best of each season in this mixed media class. Using painting, printmaking, collage, and sculpture techniques, students will explore the colours and textures of the seasons. Projects will include the use of found and natural objects as well as paper and clay.

Foodie: Art on the Menu with artist Patti Nicolson

Have fun creating a whole range of “art food” using a variety of materials, including paper, plasticine, and papier-mâché.  See how artists have depicted food in art. Students will use their sense of humour, as well as their keen observation skills, to create food sculptures that look good enough to eat!

Out of the Blue with artist Bess Forrestall

The sky…. the ocean…. this class explores both! Create artworks from whimsical flying objects to underwater creatures, all inspired by the vastness of the Atlantic and the sky above!

Bright Ideas with artist Margarita Fainshtein

Light is an important element in art. In this class, students will explore illuminating ways light can be used to make art. Experiment with projections, shadows, silhouettes and colour to create beautiful and mysterious artworks. See things in a whole new light!

Session 7: Monday, August 21 – Friday, August 25

Birdwatch with artist Ted Higney

Explore the colourful world of birds through drawing, painting, sculpture, and mixed media. Create 2D and 3D birds, both realistic and imaginative, as well as their habitats using an assortment of materials. Learn more about birds that are native to Nova Scotia, and explore bird-inspired folk art in the Gallery!

Clay City and Country with artist Fenn Martin

Welcome to the wonderful world of clay hand building! The week’s activities will include the exploration of clay friezes and relief-works as students explore and imagine all things city and country. Students will enjoy both independent and collaborative projects during this week of discovery!

Fashion Fun with artist Lux Habrich 

Students will design and create their own collection of wearable art pieces! Create unique fashion items from recycled objects and a world of dazzling textures. We will combine textile-based and sculpture techniques to make one-of-a-kind creations that are sure to impress.
 

Altering Images: Mixed Media, Collage and Photos with Stephanie Dean- Moore

Experiment with collage using a combination of techniques, compositions and textures. Embellish photos with colour and text, and explore block printing to create visually exciting works of art.

Session 8: Monday, August 28 – Friday, September 1

Brushstrokes with artist Rosemary Young

Explore different aspects of painting such as colour mixing, brushwork and composition. Students will experiment with painting techniques such as colour wash, dry brush, resist, and wet on wet. Make some marbled paper too! Students will gather inspiration by exploring both realistic and abstract paintings in the Gallery.

Experimentalists - Art and Science with artist Ted Higney

What happens when…? This class seeks the experimentalists out there. Using a variety of traditional art methods and unconventional materials, students will explore the science of art and the art of science. Students learn about marbling effects, geodes, geometric designs, and colour theory.

Figure it Out! with artist Jessica Weibe

Explore multiple ways of creating small figures and soft sculptures.  Wire, papier-mâché, fabric, found objects and other odds and ends will be used as students discover how to show movement, mood, character, and expression in their figurative artworks. Sculpture in the Gallery will be viewed to inspire art making and discussion.
 

Folk art fun with artist Patti Nicholson

The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia has a large collection of folk art to inspire the young artists in this class. Using a palette of bright colours, students will paint images inspired by what they see and imagine. Exaggerate and use humour to create animals, birds, and boats – all with a Maritime flair!

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