ART123 Gallery Summer Art Camp
By Cherille Williams
For the past four years, Art 123 Gallery has been a summer hub for young artists, offering hands-on art classes in June and a themed summer art camp in July. The June classes cater to a range of ages, including options for children under five with a parent and older kids starting around age five.
Dana Aldis states that the classes encourage kids to explore creative activities like arts and crafts, painting, and sculpture. She leads the art camp alongside Mariea Hall, volunteer Jimmy Christian, and gallery staff, creating a supportive environment for returning students.
In late July, the gallery hosts a weeklong summer art camp with local field trips. This year’s theme, held from July 27 to 31, was “Historic Route 66 in Miniature.” Campers created miniature versions of historic Gallup buildings and displayed their work in front of the gallery. Highlights included playful renditions of the El Rancho Hotel and the El Morro Theater.
Jimmy Christian, a volunteer for the past two summers, enjoys the shared learning experience. “It’s so fun,” she says, emphasizing the joy of learning together. This year, kids recreated local landmarks, including the El Rancho and train station, along with interactive projects like pop-out books.
Beyond the main builds, campers dyed yarn with Kool-Aid and created loom weavings, alongside collaborative drawings and abstract pieces. Christian got involved through her work at UNM Gallup and adapts to various classroom roles.
Looking ahead, Christian is enthusiastic about the program and encourages more kids to join. “I have so much fun. We all learn and enjoy ourselves together,” she states.
Mariea Hall smiles as she reflects on this year’s spring break art camp: “It was wonderful. We had a great group of kids.”
The camp, catering to a variety of ages, introduced students to clay work, sculpture, and painting. One highlight was a collaborative project inspired by Route 66, where campers created miniature buildings from recycled materials. This idea emerged from discussions with the kids and a walking tour that explored local landmarks like El Rancho and the El Morro Theater. Hall shared her own memories of visiting the theater as a child, helping students connect emotionally to these buildings as part of living history.
The campers chose landmarks to recreate based on their interests, using supplies such as cardboard, toothpicks, and paint. The finished mini-buildings are now displayed at ART123 Gallery for the community's enjoyment.
Looking ahead to summer, Hall anticipates continued creativity with classes in acrylic painting, beading, and more. The program focuses not only on art but also on building skills and confidence, giving kids a valuable opportunity to explore their creativity. “I think it’s a wonderful program,” she adds.