BDA Summer Youth Art Camp

For over a decade BDA has partnered with organizations such as Hamilton Hill Arts Center and Trinity Alliance. More recently we’ve worked with The Baby Institute, and The Nature Conservancy to provide summer art camp experience to children of African descent. The children are provided creative instruction in different media by artists of the African Diaspora. Each year a different theme is explored and the students’ finished art is displayed in an exhibit.

2022

Art and the Environment – BDA collaborated with the Nature Conservancy, artist Takeyce Walter and Macedonia Baptist Church to expose youth to art through nature. There activities involved art at three nature preserves in the Capital Region, the Pine Bush, Christman Sanctuary, and the Lake George floating classroom. The youth also learned about ecology of each preserve.

2019

The goal of this year’s Summer Youth Art Program “Art Through the Microscope” was to demonstrate the relationship between science and art. The children had the opportunity to explore the world of cells through the microscope. They experimented with skin cells, their own saliva, food, plant and animal cells using the microscope; and from their observations drew
those cells. They also journaled discussing their impressions of each of the cells observed.

There were 11 children between the ages of 8-12. The project exposed the children to new ways of thinking through creative choices. They were attentive to the process and asked questions. They were able produce two pieces of work one for their personal use and one for the exhibit.

Stephen J. Tyson a BDA board member and abstract visual artist and SUNY Schenectady faculty, Dr. Syeda Munaim were the instructors for the BDA’s Summer Youth Art Program.

2018

In 2018 artist, Anita Wilson taught the children about still life painting using watercolor.

BDA’s Summer Youth Camp is made possible by the generosity of Stewart’s Shops and Albany Wine and Dine for the Arts.