Are you a parent who wants your kids to experience the joy of uninhibited creativity?

Send your kids to one of my full-day Mini Camps or week-long Summer Camps for an enriching art experience for them + peace of mind for you. All Durham art camps are held in the indoor classroom space in my North Durham teaching studio with a maximum of 12 students per camp.

My Durham art camps offer a supportive environment where children can express themselves authentically, think outside the box, and embrace embodied play.

The day’s flow includes lots of time for art-making and independent play. All summer camps include a supervised mid-morning outside break. All mini camps have an additional lunch break and afternoon break.

Camp Registration

Mini Camps are full-day art experiences for creative kids in Grades K-8 in Durham and surrounding areas.

Durham Mini Camps are 1-day long from 9am – 3pm. Tuition is $95/child and all materials like paint and easels are provided! Aftercare until 4:00 pm is available by request most days.

I strive to provide art camps for a variety of school calendar in Durham/Chapel-Hill, including Durham Public Schools Traditional, DPS Year-Round, and some independent schools like Carolina Friends School, Immaculata, Voyager, and Triangle Day School.

Summer Camps are immersive half-day, week-long art experiences for creative kids in Grades K-5 and Grades 5-8.

Summer Art Camps are 5 days long from 9am – 12pm. Tuition is $195/child and all materials like paint and easels are provided!  Aftercare and additional afternoon sessions may be available some weeks for parents who need more childcare and for kids who can’t stop creating! 🙂

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MY TEACHING ARTIST EXPERIENCE & PHILOSOPHY

Since 2010, I’ve provided my arts education services to schools and arts-based organizations in the Triangle (Raleigh – Durham – Chapel Hill).

Emerson Waldorf School, Trinity School, Durham Nativity School, Frank Porter Graham Elementary, Chewning Middle School, the Carrboro ArtsCenter, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are a few of my teaching artist partnerships.

As a teaching artist, I bring my boundless energy, optimism, and an unshakeable belief in my students’ innate abilities to my teaching practice.

I believe we are all born creative, and that artistic expression is vital for the well-being of both the individual and the community.

I’ve seen firsthand how mastering artistic expression is vital in order for children to develop into healthy adults. I guide my students as they learn to trust their intuition, think expansively, and respect their own capabilities.

I encourage students of all ages to slow down and enjoy the process of art-making instead of obsessing over results. Students of all ages frequently exclaim, “This is so satisfying!” during my art classes, which is music to my ears.

Through exposure to varied artistic expressions, students in my Durham art camps develop the necessary skills to think critically about how they consume and create art.

In addition to my mastery of traditional art forms like sketching, acrylic painting, and digital photography, I am skilled in teaching culturally relevant visual art styles. Fluid painting, collaborative murals, comics, mandalas, and the art of the selfie are a few of my favorite topics.

I utilize mindfulness techniques to help creative energy flow through the body.

I often ask my students to notice the sensory experience of art making. Like the feel of the oil pastels in their hands, or the smell of the markers. Like the silky, shimmery sheen of the paint.

In my Durham art camps, I frequently encourage my students to move their bodies and engage with their artwork…and with each other! Collaborative projects like puzzle art and murals are a big hit!

Regardless of age or ability, all my students emerge from their time at my Durham art camps with more self-confidence and an ability to think expansively.

They gain a better appreciation of their unique creative voice and emerge with increased self-awareness through the art-making process. Plus, they have a blast along the way!

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SUMMER ART CAMP FAQS

Where are your Durham art camps located?

Spring Art Mini Camps are held at Iglesia Emanuel in Durham: 2504 N Roxboro St. 27704.

What’s your cancellation policy?

If you cancel registration 14 or more days prior to the start date, you will receive a full refund of the class cost.

No refund will be given for cancellations less than 14 calendar days before the start of any class. Refunds after that will be issued on a case-by-case basis. *Credit card processing fees will not be refunded*

What’s your COVID policy?

COVID-19 is an ongoing public health crisis in the US, especially among more vulnerable populations like the immunocompromised and our seniors.

To keep everyone safe, masks are encouraged when inside the studio, and I cap my class size at 12. We also open the classroom windows as much as possible and take breaks outdoors, especially when the weather is gorgeous!

How early can I drop off my child in the morning?

Doors will open at 8:50 am for morning session drop-offs.

What time can I pick up my child?

For full-day Mini Camps: Pick-up is from 2:50-3pm.

For Half-Day Camps – Pick-up is from 12-12:10pm for half-day camps, like all Summer Break Camps.

Are supplies provided for the Durham art camps that I sign up for?

Yes, all art supplies like paint, canvases, easels brushes, pens, etc. will be provided to participants who sign up for our mini camps. Campers are also welcome to bring their own supplies to customize their projects even more!

Not provided are aprons and smocks, so please bring clothes your child can get messy in (acrylic paint does not come out easily!) or your own apron/smock.

Which age groups does your camp serve?

Mini Camps are for young artists from grades K-6 or ages 5-12. If you have older children (middle school and up) who you would like to enroll as a volunteer counselor, please email me at studio@courtney-potter.com for more information!

Summer Camps serve a wide variety of ages from Grades K-5 and Grades 5-8.

We will be adding Toddler Art + Sensory Play Camps in 2024, so please stay tuned for more info! 🙂

Does you provide lunch?

No, lunch is not provided. Please pack a lunch, water bottle, and snacks for the day for your camper.

How should my child dress for camp?

Make sure your child wears clothes that you wouldn’t mind them getting messy in (acrylic paint is hard to wash out!), while making sure to also dress comfortably for warmer weather or cooler weather.

We do have air conditioning and central heating in our building, so wearing layers is helpful for this time of year! Be sure to a pack a sweater and appropriate outdoor clothes for our outdoor breaks, as well as an extra mask.

Will my child be outside during camp?

While the majority of lessons will take place within the art classroom, we will be taking breaks and eating lunch outdoors, weather permitting.