Summer camp 2025 - Food Week

This week was a feast for the eyes and the imagination! We began with a sweet history lesson, learning about the invention of the waffle cone at the World’s Fair, then glazed our own ceramic ice cream waffle bowls, perfect for holding a real scoop or two once they’re fired and finished.   Next, campers rolled up their sleeves (and a few sushi rolls, out of clay, of course!) for ceramic bento box tic-tac-toe boards. Using slab-building techniques, we constructed lacquer-inspired boxes painted in rich red and black, complete with miniature sushi roll and nigiri game pieces. We then collaborated on a vibrant fruit collage in the style of Henri Matisse. Each camper was assigned a fruit, painted colorful paper, cut their unique shapes, and traded with friends to create a mixed-fruit masterpiece bursting with color and movement. To beat the summer heat, we sculpted melt-y character popsicles, those famously misshapen cartoon ice cream bars, capturing every funny detail from the droopy gumdrop eyes to the slightly lopsided smiles.   For our grand finale, we explored the timeless art of still life, looking to Paul Cézanne for inspiration. Each group sketched a shared bowl of fruit in pastels, then added imaginative backgrounds and personal flourishes, giving every piece its own unique perspective.   Our campers cooked up great imagination and creativity this week, proving that art can be just as delicious as it is inspiring!

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Summer camp 2025 - Around the World

This week at camp, we packed our creative suitcases and set off on a journey across the globe, exploring art forms from different cultures and across time. We began in Ancient Greece, where campers glazed their very own amphoras. Amphoras, vessels dating back as far as 3500 BCE, weren’t just practical containers - they were also canvases for storytelling, decorated with intricate patterns and epic mythological scenes. Inspired by these designs, our campers invented their own patterns and narratives, painting stories that stretched across the curved bisque using reactive glazes that changed colors once fired.   Next, we dove into the mesmerizing world of mandalas. We explored their presence across cultures, from Celtic knots and Aztec sundials, to Navajo sand art and Buddhist sand mandalas. Campers learned how Tibetan monks spend weeks pouring colored sand grain by grain into breathtaking designs, only to sweep them away at completion. This practice reminds us of the importance of letting go, of creating for the joy of the process itself. Our young artists created their own mandalas, experimenting with symmetry, detail, and patience.   From there, we traveled to Venice, Italy, to celebrate Carnevale di Venezia. Campers sculpted masks from clay, shaping and smoothing with ribs, then embellishing their creations with bright paint, feathers, gems, and jewels. But we hit a twist in our travels! The clay batch we used turned out to be defective, and the masks became brittle and began to crumble. While disappointing, this turned into two powerful lessons: In ceramics, nothing is guaranteed — clay bodies, glazes, and firings can all surprise us. More importantly, art is not always about the finished piece. In true mandala spirit, we let go of attachment. Our campers embraced this by taking hammers to their masks, joyfully smashing them back down to earth. It became a cathartic, exciting moment, a reminder that creation and destruction are both part of the artistic journey. Next, we trekked over to East Asia to explore Japanese shodō (書道), the art of calligraphy. While we didn’t have traditional fude (筆) brushes, we experimented with creative tools to capture the same flowing spirit. Campers dipped straws in ink and blew across canvas paper to mimic the light, organic movement of brushstrokes. We added delicate cherry blossoms, painting soft blooms around the abstract ink lines. The result was a playful, inventive twist on a timeless art form. We closed the week with a field trip to Kennedy Plaza for a day of plein air painting. Surrounded by sunshine, fresh air, and the sound of the fountain, campers painted watercolor postcards. Each card became a window to a faraway place, imagined destinations, dream travels, or messages to loved ones. This week was a great adventure, filled with exploration and lessons that stretched far beyond the studio walls. Our campers learned not only about world art traditions but also about the deeper practice of making, sharing, and letting go. 🌎🎨✨

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Summer Camp 2025 - Animals

This week at camp we explored the wonderful world of animals—through science, color, and creativity! We began with a lesson on camouflage; why animals use it, which creatures do it best, and how it helps them survive. Campers then glazed their own ceramic creatures in camouflaging colors and patterns, and even designed matching habitats for them to hide in. Next, we sculpted animal face magnets from clay, learning how to cut basic shapes and build up features using score-and-slip techniques. Once dried, campers painted in details, transforming their pieces into the cutest little fridge friends. Midweek, we looked at Henri Matisse’s famous Goldfish paintings and created our own 2D–3D collaged goldfish tanks. Campers painted bold paper strips, cut and layered fish and tanks, and used clever tape techniques to create the illusion of perspective, turning flat artwork into something dimensional.

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100 Days In

Dear Earth Arts Community, As we celebrate our 100th day since reopening, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude. Your support has been invaluable in helping us grow and enhance our space. Reflecting on Our JourneyIn these past 100 days, we’ve taken significant steps to improve Earth Arts. Our studio has been refreshed, creating a welcoming environment for all. With our new extended hours, you can just walk in and create any time from Tuesday to Sunday, with special classes held on Mondays. Our camp programs have already impacted more than 100 kids and have sold out quickly. We’ve just launched our pottery classes, offering both wheel and hand-building options. The wheel classes sold out in less than 48 hours, and we still have a few slots available for hand-building. Our Potters in Residence, a group of talented educators and potters, lead these pottery programs, and we plan to add more instructors to diversify our offerings.       For those who enjoy Paint Your Own Pottery (PYOP), you’ll find hundreds of new pottery pieces ready for painting, along with an expanded palette of more than 100 paints and glazes. To enhance your painting experience, we’ve invested in new brushes, banding wheels, tapes, and more. Our staff is also trained in special techniques like bubbling and marbling, which they’ll happily teach you to add a unique touch to your creations. Our team is the heart of Earth Arts. We’ve brought on 15 creative and talented individuals dedicated to providing exceptional experiences for our customers. We’ve streamlined our operations and hired technical specialists to ensure your pieces come out great and are ready faster than ever. We’ve collaborated with local artists to install a small gallery within our space, showcasing their incredible work and fostering a deeper connection with our community. Just come in and check out the incredible work if nothing else! Looking AheadWe’re committed to bringing a world-class pottery experience to Long Beach. By fall, we’ll be adding five more wheels, bringing our total to 13. We will be offering more wheel classes as well as hand-building, advanced glaze techniques, and more. Eventually, we’ll offer potters a membership to the studio that they can access any time. Starting in the fall, we’re planning a variety of special events to engage the entire community. Here are just some of our ideas: Toddler Tuesdays: Special sessions for our youngest artists. Mud Mondays: The studio will be closed to the public but open for unique pottery classes and events. Wheel Wednesdays: Perfect for those who prefer single-session experiences, with occasional “Wheel and Wine-down” evenings. Brunch and Bisque Painting: Start your weekend with creativity and fun. After-School Programs: Real pottery classes for kids to explore the world of ceramics. We love to partner and are already collaborating with local businesses and groups to develop one-of-a-kind events that have that unique Long Beach flair. Stay tuned for more exciting announcements! Join UsIf you haven’t visited us yet, we warmly invite you to come in and experience Earth Arts. You can just walk in—no reservations required. Come in, pick a piece, and make something beautiful. Our staff is ready and available to assist you. If you are interested in pottery making, please go to our website and sign up for our classes. Thank you once again for your incredible support. We are just at the beginning of our journey and have so much more planned. We look forward to creating, learning, and growing with you. Warm regards,Susan Clancy and the Earth Arts Team

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