Northwind Art

Your child or grandchild scribbles on the wall.  

If your little one was like mine, she stared in wonder at this mark and then wildly scribbled, watching the line come out of the end of the crayon in wonder as she moved her hand across, up and down, and in circles.

The first making of art is simple:  Touching and looking at a piece of paper and folding it. Cutting it. Tearing it. Pasting it. Maybe even tasting it. 

Or squeezing a chunk of sweet-smelling clay into a ball and smashing it flat. Making a simple mask by cutting two eye-holes in a paper bag.

Or drawing with a piece of charcoal, eyes closed, then smudging it to see what happens.

With the help of teachers through the years, children learn about new art materials and techniques: Chalky pastel. Watercolor. Cardboard and duct tape. How to rig up a mobile. How to make wearable art. Working big, working small. They look at what other artists have done. They’re shown how to explore the possibilities. 

That, in a nutshell, is what Northwind’s Summer Art Camps for kids and weekly “Bunker” studio for teens are all about. 

This summer Northwind offers four art camps — each a week long — for kids as young as seven years old.  And during the school year, the Bunker provides teens with a place to hang out with friends and just make stuff. 

Before I go any further, if these programs speak to you, you can make sure they continue throughout 2026. Your gift today will help send a lucky kid to camp with a scholarship. 

These camps aren’t inexpensive. They average about $400 per child for the whole week. Scholarships make a significant difference for families whose kids are super excited about going to camp.

Your gift also pays for building rent, materials, adult guidance, and healthy snack breaks every day. 

Northwind offers a variety this year: Creatures of Sea & Shore Camp, Nature Art Camp, the new Ancient Greek Theater Camp and the ever-popular Wearable Art Camp. Here are a few shots of campers from the past couple of summers. 

Another thought: You know how addictive scrolling on devices is for kids. What kind of memories will these kids have of childhood? An endless stream of images and words created by someone else and spoon-fed to them? Making art, making stuff, is one of the most rewarding antidotes to listless scrolling and artificially induced reactions. 

Instead you can offer kids a whole week filled with inspiration, fun, exploration, creativity, and making new friends. And for teens, the Bunker provides something to look forward to every week of the school year.

Classes are open to any child in Jefferson County.  If delighting a kid with the gift of a week-long art camp appeals to you, please give your gift today! All proceeds from the GiveBIG campaign go to kids' summer camps and the Bunker teen studio. 

Martha Worthley, Executive Director, Northwind Art 

P.S. Your gift allows Northwind to provide arts curriculum tailored just for kids — including classes such as Introduction to Clay when the ceramics studio opens later this year.

Click here to make your gift today.