The program enrolled 34 children in two sessions: mornings for kindergarten through third grade and afternoons for grades four through eight.

The camp introduced participants to art mediums not always available in school, including ceramics, sculpture, painting, printmaking, paper-craft and woodworking.

The program was started by The Grand’s founder, Anne Makepeace. Instructors Ed Fornberg and Rhonda Johnson have taught at the camp since its first year.

“It’s going amazing,” Johnson said. “It was a great bunch of kids this year.”

Instructor Rhonda Johnson displays a finished epoxy river wood slice from Creativity Camp. The project uses real wood, sand, river rocks, shells and epoxy resin to create a flowing river effect. (Photo by Amy Zents)

Johnson said the camp gives children an outlet for creativity.

“Not all kids are into sports, and this is another outlet for them to express their creativity. Every kid wants something, and this is a place where they can express that.”

Fornberg taught art in New Ulm public schools from 1994 to 2016 and now teaches semi-retired in Westbrook and Holly Grove. He has instructed at the camp since it began.

“There’s always surprises. Just when you think you’ve seen everything, the kids come up with something different,” Fornberg said.

In one woodworking project, campers used walnut backgrounds from a tree cut by a friend. They selected animal cutouts, decorated them with watercolor and wood burning, mounted the animals to appear suspended, and applied varnish. The natural grain of the wood remained visible.

Instructor Ed Fornberg holds a colorful rooster artwork created by a camper during Creativity Camp at The Grand Center for Arts & Culture. Projects like this incorporate mixed media and painting techniques. (Photo by Amy Zents)

“We did some wet acrylic. And then we do watercolor on top of that because it brightens it,” Fornberg said. “But yet, I tell them not to cover the wood, because you can see the grain of the wood through it.”

Fornberg’s checkerboard project was also offered again. Campers used particle board bases and created themed designs. Pieces featured subjects such as jellyfish, Pokémon characters and the Mankato Mavericks. Some used pennies and nickels for play.

“The kids come up with something different. There’s just a lot of really cool ideas,” Fornberg said.

Johnson led a rice-textured painting project. Campers glued rice onto paintings for a stained-glass effect and added paint layers.

Her epoxy river project used real wood cut by her husband, Brad Shelgren. Pieces were placed in molds with sand, river rocks and shells. Campers poured epoxy resin. After several days of curing, the projects showed flowing river effects.

“They’re so beautiful,” Johnson said.

The camp included Cellar Press projects. Former Artist-in-Residence Charlie Andrès returned for a second year to lead book arts and printmaking.

Former Artist-in-Residence Caitlin Lang provided hand-carved linoleum blocks for t-shirt printing. Cellar Press intern Eliza Ploghoft assisted. New instructor Carina Ahlness taught paper maché and clay projects.

Volunteers Skylar Lyimo, Layke Nachriener, Nichole LaGrow and Vicki Ruiz helped throughout the week.

Olivia Norquist, who has worked at The Grand for about two years, said enrollment has been steady.

“It just keeps getting smoother and smoother. We’ve been really happy with enrollment levels.”

A second session is scheduled for Aug. 3-6. Spots remain available in the grades fourth through eighth afternoon group, Norquist said.

Both sessions are funded by New Ulm Community Education. Registration is available through the New Ulm Community Education website.

The camp structure has children rotate through stations led by professional artists. Participants complete finished artworks to take home.

Since its start, the program has introduced hundreds of local children to art techniques. Many return in following years.

Johnson said the camp offers activities not typically done at home.

“Trying to do things that they don’t do at home. A lot of the stuff that we do is messy art or art that your parents aren’t going to pull out and do at your house. So they can experience different things, maybe find something that they really enjoy.”

For more information on upcoming camps and events at The Grand Center for Arts & Culture, visit thegrandnewulm.org or call 507-359-9222.