Sarasota Art Museum 'Young at Art' program says camps are for grownups too

Summer camp for adults

Sarasota Art Museum "Young at Art" program says camps are for grownups too. FOX 13 Photojournalist Barry Wong reports.

SARASOTA, Fla. - Last summer, staff at Sarasota Art Museum asked a simple question: "Why should kids have all the fun?" The answer spawned the "Young at Art" program. 

" 'Young at Art' is meant to allow adults who still have a creative mind, a creative spirit, to come in and participate in many different types of media," Sarasota Art Museum's Laura Parker Samson said. "Whether they're really experienced artists or they haven't done any art since grade school, they're coming in, they're making new friendships."

Dig deeper:

"Young at Art" debuted last summer. Its popularity pushed organizers to bring back the program for the winter. There are two week-long sessions, Dec. 1-5 and Dec. 8-12. Each day, the campers learn and work with a different medium. 

Monday is ceramics. Tuesday is creating a leather journal. Wednesday is fused glass ornaments. Thursday is ceramic glazing. Friday is acrylic painting. The week ends with the reveal of the ceramic and glass projects. 

What they're saying:

"I am 86 years old. I have been painting since I was 65, and everything that's being offered in this class except acrylic painting is something I've never done before, and I feel that we all need to restart our creative processes," camper Roberta Zimmerman said. 

Zimmerman, a member at the museum, immediately jumped at the opportunity. During the glass project, she was both hopeful and nervous. 

"We're all from all different areas and walks of life. We all have different backstories, and it's fun," Zimmerman said. "My granddaughter on Monday texted me, how's the camp going so far? I said I may be a counselor next year, or at least a counselor in training, so it's been fun."

What's next:

There are still spots available for the second week of "Young at Art".