WEEK 1 | JUNE 8 – 12

1A: PAPER MAGIC | AGES 6 – 9

Campers are invited to explore how paper can be transformed from a simple material into something expressive, sculptural, and personal. During the week, students will make their own paper from pulp using recycled fibers, experimenting with texture, color, and layering as they create unique handmade sheets. They will move between drawing and building, starting with outdoor sketching and urban landscape studies, then translating those ideas into three dimensional forms using wet paper techniques and paper mache. Campers will collaborate on imaginative structures like mini box towns or larger box houses while also developing individual pieces that reflect their own ideas and interests. Along the way, they will be introduced to calligraphy tools and collage processes, gaining both technical skills and confidence in working with materials that can be shaped and reshaped. The week will end with a showcase featuring handmade paper books, process drawings that document how paper is made, and a display of sculptural and crafted works, giving students a chance to share both what they created and how they made it.

Martha Keifenheim

Martha Keifenheim is an artist and educator whose work explores color, shape, and texture across a range of styles, from realistic to abstract. She has extensive experience teaching students of all ages, including through ArtWise in Grand Forks elementary schools and in middle and high school classrooms at Sacred Heart in East Grand Forks. Martha brings an energetic and supportive approach to teaching, sharing in students’ excitement as they experiment with new materials and discover different ways of expressing their ideas.

1B: ART AND EARTH | AGES 10 – 13

Art & Earth is a nature-based art camp where students explore the living world through creativity, observation, and care. Each day centers on a different theme, from meeting trees and pollinators to tracing the movement of water and transforming recycled materials, inviting campers to see the environment not as a backdrop but as a network of living relationships. Through a combination of outdoor exploration and guided artmaking, students will experiment with mixed media processes rooted in sustainability, using materials like found objects, natural pigments, sunlight, soil, and recycled paper. Projects include sun prints, river inspired murals, handmade paper, sculptural builds from reused materials, and artwork that reflects ideas around environmental care and stewardship. As the week unfolds, campers will build both creative skills and a deeper awareness of their connection to place, developing their own ideas through observation, play, and reflection.

Lacey Anderson

Lacey Anderson is an educator, artist, and the Director of the East Grand Forks Campbell Library. Her work spans photography and mixed media, often inspired by the plants, animals, and pollinators she encounters through gardening and time outdoors. She brings a strong background in environmental education, with years of experience teaching and developing curriculum focused on place based learning, sustainability, and community engagement. Lacey is currently completing her PhD in Education with a focus on environmental education, and her work centers on helping young people slow down, observe closely, and build meaningful connections with the natural world. Through both her art and teaching, she invites curiosity, creativity, and care for the living systems that surround us.

WEEK 2 | JUNE 15 – 19

2A: ECOSYSTEM ARTISTS | AGES 6 – 9

This camp invites campers to explore the natural world through art and scientific observation, focusing on how ecosystems function and how organisms depend on one another. Over the course of the week, students will choose an ecosystem to study and research specific organisms, looking at habitat, structure, and relationships such as food webs, adaptation, and environmental roles. Using that information, they will design and build their own organisms through drawing, painting, and 3D construction with cardboard and mixed materials. Campers will practice close observation, basic research skills, and problem solving as they translate real world biological systems into visual form. They will consider how movement, structure, and environment influence how an organism looks and behaves, and how those ideas can be represented through line, color, and composition. As their understanding develops, students will refine their designs and contribute to a collaborative installation where individual pieces come together to form a larger ecosystem. The focus is on using art as a way to explore scientific ideas, helping students better understand ecosystems while building their ability to observe, analyze, and create.

Jessica Ross

Jessica Ross is an artist and educator whose work is rooted in curiosity, observation, and a deep connection to the natural world. She holds a BA in Studio Art and Biology from the University of Minnesota Duluth and is currently pursuing a degree in secondary education at the University of North Dakota. Her practice explores how drawing and making can lead to new ways of seeing, encouraging both the artist and viewer to notice details that might otherwise be overlooked. Jessica has experience teaching in a variety of settings, including after-school programs and summer classes, and has presented at regional creativity and education conferences. Her work has been exhibited across Minnesota, including a solo exhibition at the Tweed Museum of Art, and she was the recipient of the 2026 People’s Choice Award at the North Dakota Museum of Art’s Limited Time Only exhibition. She continues to develop both her studio practice and teaching approach with a focus on exploration, problem solving, and building confidence through making.

2B: COSTUME CREATIONS | AGES 10 – 13

Costume Creations invites campers to design and build their own wearable pieces using a wide range of fiber and mixed materials. Throughout the week, students will explore how costumes come together, starting with brainstorming and gathering inspiration from their surroundings, including found natural materials. They will be introduced to foundational fiber techniques like crocheting and wet felting, while also working with felt, foam, fabric, yarn, and embellishments to construct pieces that reflect their ideas and personalities. As their designs develop, campers will problem solve through structure, attachment, and movement, learning how to adapt materials and techniques to bring their concepts to life. The studio will function as an active making space where experimentation is encouraged and each student can move at their own pace with guidance as needed. By the end of the week, students will complete their costumes and present them in a lively, student-led fashion show that highlights both the creative process and the finished designs.

Kasandra Gregoire

Kasandra Gregoire is an art educator based in Grand Forks who works across fibers, watercolor, and collage. She currently teaches middle school art and has experience working with a wide range of ages, from young children to adults. Her practice centers on hands on making, often using materials like yarn, fabric, and wool to create layered, tactile work. Kasandra enjoys helping students explore different materials and approaches, encouraging experimentation and creativity in the studio. Some of her favorite projects include fiber based work and creating costumes, bringing together texture, construction, and personal expression.

WEEK 3 | JUNE 22 – 26

3A: MURAL MAKERS | AGES 6 – 9

This mural camp invites students to step into the full process of designing and creating a large-scale collaborative artwork, from first idea to final paint. Working together, campers will explore how murals are planned, sketched, and brought to life, learning techniques like grid transfer and doodle grids to scale their drawings from paper onto a large surface. Throughout the week, they will experiment with painting methods, color theory, composition, and lettering, including the use of calligrams where words form images, all centered around the theme “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.” Students will contribute to a shared design that may evolve into one large mural or multiple pieces depending on the group and materials, while also building individual skills in brush handling, paint care, and visual storytelling. Alongside technical learning, the camp emphasizes a supportive and thoughtful creative environment rooted in process over product, non judgement, and kindness toward both the work and each other. By the end of the week, students will have helped create a bold, collective mural and will share both the finished piece and the steps that brought it together.

Trey Everett

Trey Everett is a pen and ink artist, muralist, and educator based in Crookston, Minnesota. His work centers on themes of welcoming, inclusion, and reflection, often using detailed illustration and calligrams, where images are formed through words. Trey has created numerous indoor and outdoor murals across Minnesota and North Dakota and has worked as an Artist in Residence in schools, guiding students through the full process of designing and completing large scale collaborative murals. His teaching focuses on building confidence, encouraging thoughtful creative practice, and helping students understand both the technical and personal sides of making art. In addition to his mural work, Trey is an experienced illustrator and retreat leader, exploring the relationship between creativity, spaciousness, and flow. He lives in Crookston with his partner Corene and their three children.

3B: PRESS, PRINT, REPEAT | AGES 10 – 13

Press, Print, Repeat introduces students to the fundamentals of printmaking through both relief and embossment processes. Throughout the week, campers will design and carve their own linocut plates to create bold black and white prints, learning how to translate drawings into carved forms and understand the relationship between positive and negative space. Alongside this, they will experiment with embossment techniques, building textured forms from found and constructed materials to press into paper and create raised, tactile images. Students will create multiple prints, developing their ideas through repetition and variation while gaining confidence with tools, ink application, and paper handling. The studio will focus on exploration and process, encouraging students to test, adjust, and discover how each print evolves over time.

Eric Johnson

Eric A. Johnson is a printmaker and painter whose work is known for its bold color, expressive linework, and emotionally driven imagery. Raised on a farm in North Dakota, his work is deeply influenced by the rhythms of rural life and the surrounding landscape. He earned his MFA in Printmaking from the University of North Dakota and has spent over two decades working as both an artist and educator, teaching printmaking and related disciplines at colleges and universities across the region. Eric has exhibited widely, including solo exhibitions and traveling shows throughout North Dakota and beyond, and has served as a master printer for collaborative editions. He is the founder of Big Oak Press in Hillsboro, North Dakota, where he continues to create work and explore the possibilities of printmaking.

WEEK 4 | JUNE 29 – JULY 1 | (Half Days – Short Week)

4A | 9 am – noon: DRAGONS, MAGIC, AND UNICORNS | AGES 3 – 5

Children and adults will have fun discovering the magic of unicorns, dragons, and other mythical creatures while making art, playing, and enjoying a good time together.

4B | 1 – 4 pm: PASSPORT TO ART| AGES 6 – 13

A trip around the world discovering music, art, dance, and traditions from different continents. Play instruments, learn dances, try on costumes, and have a lot of fun making art based on the places we will visit each day.

Ligia Feo

Ligia Feo is from Argentina. In her country, she worked as a music teacher and violist. In 2008, she moved to Grand Forks with her family, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Music Performance and a master’s degree in Special Education from UND. She works as a special education teacher at GFCH, coaches the NVYO orchestras, plays in the GGFSO, works at SPA during the summer, and teaches violin, viola, and piano.

WEEK 5 | JULY 6 – 10 | FRAME

FRAME (Flexible, Responsive Access for Museum Equity) is the North Dakota Museum of Art’s approach to building access into programs from the start, creating more ways for people to participate, learn, and engage. It focuses on flexible structures, varied entry points, and supportive environments, allowing experiences to adapt to the needs of participants rather than expecting participants to fit a fixed format. FRAME is made possible in part thanks to the City of Grand Forks Government Arts Re-Grant.

FRAME: ART AND EARTH | AGES 7 – 10

FRAME: Art & Earth invites young artists to explore the world through creativity, curiosity, and sensory experience. Throughout the week, campers will engage with themes connected to the natural world, including light and dark, texture, water, forests, and relationships with the living systems around them. Activities may include sun prints, shadow drawing, watercolor exploration, bark rubbings, mapping, and collaborative projects, alongside opportunities for outdoor observation through walking, listening, and noticing.

Within this approach, the camp is intentionally flexible and shaped around the campers themselves. Activities are offered as entry points rather than fixed outcomes, allowing students to participate in ways that match their needs, interests, and energy. Campers may move between making, observing, and exploring at their own pace, with options for both active and quieter engagement. Sensory exploration is a key part of the experience, with opportunities to engage through touch, sound, sight, and movement, alongside optional storytelling or visual prompts to help guide learning.

The focus is on creating a supportive, adaptable environment where each child can build confidence, connect with their surroundings, and develop their own ideas through experience and making.

Lacey Anderson

Lacey Anderson is an educator and artist whose work explores the connection between creativity and the natural world. Working across photography and mixed media, she draws inspiration from plants, animals, and pollinators encountered through gardening and outdoor observation. She has a background in environmental and place-based education and is currently completing her PhD in Education with a focus on how people learn through connection to their surroundings. Lacey’s approach centers on curiosity, slowing down, and helping students build meaningful relationships with the living systems around them.

Hannah Dewey

Hannah Dewey is an artist, writer, and educator based in Northern Minnesota who brings a thoughtful, compassionate approach to working with young people. With over a decade of experience supporting individuals through complex life challenges, she centers care, safety, and connection in all that she does. Alongside her professional work, Hannah is deeply engaged in creative practice as a poet and mixed media artist, often drawing inspiration from nature and personal storytelling. She has experience teaching and mentoring youth in a variety of settings, including homeschool education, co-op leadership, and long-term work with Stable Days Youth Ranch, where she integrated art into youth programming. Hannah is passionate about creating spaces where students feel supported, seen, and free to explore their ideas, and she brings that same sense of curiosity and empathy into the studio.

Please fill out the interest form if you are interested in participating. Space is limited and will be offered on a rolling basis until the session is full. 

We use an interest form because our camp staff and instructors are committed to building this week in collaboration with families. This allows us to better understand each camper’s needs, strengths, and preferences ahead of time so we can create an environment that works for everyone, rather than a one-size-fits-all experience. After we connect and confirm placement, families will receive next steps for registration and payment for this camp.

WEEK 6 | JULY 13 – 17

6A: PUBLIC ART STUDIO | AGES 6 – 9

Public Art Studio invites campers to work together to design and create a large scale piece meant to be shared beyond the classroom. Throughout the week, students will explore what public art is and why it matters, looking at how artists create work that connects with communities and lives in shared spaces. Using ceramic tiles as a starting point, each student will develop their own piece while contributing to a larger, unified design shaped by group decisions. Campers will brainstorm themes, sketch ideas, and experiment with materials as they build their individual tiles, then collaborate to assemble them into a single installation mounted on wood. The process emphasizes teamwork, creative problem solving, and personal expression within a shared vision, allowing each student to contribute something unique while still being part of a larger whole. By the end of the week, the group will present their completed installation and reflect on how their individual choices came together to create a work meant for a wider audience.

Ivy Mastrud

Ivy Mastrud is an artist, educator, and community organizer based in Fargo, North Dakota. Working across media with a strong foundation in ceramics and sculpture, her practice emphasizes process, play, and the importance of individual expression. She is currently pursuing a degree in Art Education at North Dakota State University, where she combines her studio work with active community engagement. Ivy has worked as a teaching artist at the Plains Art Museum, guiding students through hands on, gallery based learning that encourages experimentation and creative problem solving. She has also taken on leadership roles within the arts community, including Student Art Ambassador, Art Camp Coordinator, and involvement in organizing events like Fargo’s Studio Crawl. Across her work, Ivy is focused on creating spaces where students feel empowered to take creative risks, embrace curiosity, and see art as something accessible, collaborative, and centered in care.

6B: CHAINS, RINGS, AND SHINY THINGS | AGES 10 – 13

Chains, Rings, & Shiny Things is a hands-on metals camp where students design and hand-fabricate their own copper pendant that represents something personal, a symbol, memory, shape, or word that matters to them. Working with real sheet metal and hand tools, campers move through the full process from sketch to finished wearable object. They will learn how to cut and shape copper, refine edges, and build surface through hammering and texture stamping. Midweek, students apply patina to bring out contrast and depth, watching their pieces shift in tone and character. The focus is on jewelry as personal storytelling, and on metal as a material that records decisions, marks, and process. Each student works at their own pace with space to simplify or build complexity, and the structure ensures everyone leaves with a finished piece they can wear or share.

Stephen Alale

Stephen Alale is a contemporary metalsmith and jewelry artist based in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Working primarily with copper, he creates sculptural adornments that draw from Adinkra symbolism and textile traditions, exploring themes of memory, heritage, and identity. His work combines techniques such as chasing and repoussé with intricate, net-like metal structures that reimagine cloth and pattern through metal. Stephen earned his MFA in Jewelry and Metalsmithing from the University of North Dakota and has experience teaching both foundational and advanced studio courses. His practice continues to evolve through large-scale wearable forms that move between jewelry, sculpture, and installation, engaging with contemporary conversations around culture and diasporic visual language.

WEEK 7 | JULY 20 – 24

7A: BEADING THE RAINBOW | AGES 6 – 9

Beading the Rainbow invites campers to explore color, pattern, and personal expression through a combination of painting and beadwork. Throughout the week, students will experiment with bold color choices, layering, and design while creating both painted pieces and beaded work using a variety of materials. They will learn how color can communicate mood, meaning, and identity, and how pattern and repetition in beadwork can build rhythm and visual impact. Campers will move between drawing, painting, and constructing beaded pieces, developing their ideas across different forms while working at their own pace. The studio emphasizes hands on making, creative decision making, and building confidence through process, with each student working toward a finished piece that reflects their own sense of color, design, and personal style.

Susan Peebles

Susan is an artist and educator with extensive experience teaching in museums, schools, and community settings, including the Eiteljorg Museum and University City High School of the Arts. She studied at the University of Oregon and is an enrolled member of the Red Lake Nation. Her work has been exhibited nationally across a range of museums and gallery spaces. Her teaching approach centers on hands-on instruction, communication, and helping students build confidence through making, encouraging personal expression and connection through color, pattern, and material.

7B: PAINT, PAINT, PAINT | AGES 10 – 13

Paint, Paint, Paint: is a focused acrylic painting camp where students will complete two paintings over the course of the week, building skills step by step from sketch to finished work. Campers will begin by developing an initial composition, learning how to draw an outline, block in large areas of color, and build depth through layering and detail. As the week continues, they will create a second painting, applying what they’ve learned while exploring new forms and approaches. Throughout the process, students will gain confidence using brushes, mixing color, and understanding how a painting develops over time. The structure is clear and supportive, with room for adjustments based on pace and skill level, allowing each student to complete two finished works while still making space for personal interpretation.

Trudy Stubson

Trudy Stubson is a Fargo Moorhead based artist and art educator whose work is known for its rich color and attention to detail. She works across multiple painting mediums including acrylic, oil, and watercolor, selecting materials based on how they best capture the mood of a subject. Trudy has extensive experience teaching K–12 students and currently teaches middle school art, where she focuses on creating a supportive, engaging classroom that encourages growth and confidence. Alongside her teaching, she is an active exhibiting artist in the region, with work shown in galleries and local art events. Her paintings are inspired by everyday moments, capturing landscapes, animals, and personal experiences through layered color and careful observation.

WEEK 8 | JULY 27 – 31

8A: FROM CAVE TO POP | AGES 6 – 9

From Cave to Pop takes campers on a hands-on journey through art history, exploring how people have made and used art across time and cultures. Each day introduces a new movement or moment, giving students a chance to look closely at how artists worked and then try those ideas for themselves. Campers will experiment with mark making inspired by early cave imagery, explore pattern and symbolism drawn from early Eastern art, and play with color and brushwork influenced by Impressionism. As the week continues, they’ll shift into more expressive and graphic approaches, working with bold color and simplified forms before exploring repetition and imagery connected to popular culture. The focus stays on making and discovery, helping students see how different approaches to art connect while building their own ideas along the way, and leaving them with a range of finished pieces that reflect both historical influence and personal interpretation.

Carrie Sapa

Carrie is an art educator, activist, and practicing artist whose work brings these roles together in a connected and intentional way. Through her teaching, she encourages students to explore both technique and meaning, using art as a way to engage with the world around them. She advocates for accessibility and inclusion in the arts and has worked with community organizations to develop outreach programs and public projects that expand who feels welcome in creative spaces. In her own work, she explores themes of equity, identity, and shared responsibility, creating pieces that invite reflection and conversation. Her approach is grounded in connection, helping students see art as both a personal and collective experience.

8B: SEE IT, SKETCH IT | AGES 10 – 13

See It, Sketch It is a still life focused camp that builds strong observation and drawing skills through a step by step process from sketch to painting. Throughout the week, students will learn how to slow down and really look, paying attention to shape, proportion, light, and shadow as they study simple objects. They will begin with sketching exercises to build confidence and accuracy, then move into charcoal work to explore composition and value. As the week continues, campers will learn how to mix color and translate what they see into paint, developing a final still life that reflects both careful observation and personal interpretation. The structure is steady and skill based, helping students understand how drawings evolve into paintings while giving them space to experiment with materials, refine their ideas, and build confidence in their own way of seeing.

Kali Conrad

Kali Conrad is a multidisciplinary artist based in Grand Forks, North Dakota, working across oils, acrylics, illustration, and mixed media. With over 16 years of professional experience, her work emphasizes observation, light, color, and texture, guided by her philosophy of “Art Without Limits.” Kali has experience teaching a wide range of students, including previous instruction with the North Dakota Museum of Art’s Summer Art Camp, as well as leading art education for homeschooled children and community programs. She runs her own art business, collaborating with local organizations to host gallery showings and lead creative events. Through both her studio practice and teaching, Kali focuses on helping students build confidence, explore their ideas, and develop their own creative voice.