Centennial Art Project at Trails Edge
To celebrate Camp Fire's Centennial, local artist Pat McGowan worked with the Trails Edge Camp Fire club to create a one-of-a-kind piece of art that reflects Camp Fire's spirit. Once completed, the artwork will be donated to the silent auction at our Centennial Celebration on June 3rd.
Watch the photo slideshow of youth working with McGowan on the artwork and read the full story below.
Trail's Edge Youth Create Artwork with Local Artist
April 14, 2010
Local artist Pat McGowan visited the Trails Edge Camp Fire club this week to lead club members in a cooperative art project. In celebration of Camp Fire's Centennial, McGowan contributed his time and artistic talents to working with the youth to make a professional piece of art that will be donated to Camp Fire's Centennial Celebration.
McGowan introduced the youth to the artistic technique of encaustic wax painting. In this technique, colored and clear wax is painted and drawn onto a wax-covered canvas. After painting, the wax is "burned in" to the canvas to create a softer, more impressionist look. Small items can also be embedded into the wax to create a three-dimensional scene.
"I think that the art project is going to look so great!" said club member Lakeedra. "We're sticking rocks on, then melting stuff."
Camp Fire youth created a nature scene for their artwork. Club members Ezekiel and Claudesha placed small stones and gravel as a shoreline that they then painted with melted wax to make the stones adhere to the canvas. Other club members drew in grass, flowers and a breezy spring sky. "When the crayon drawings started to melt in, it was really cool!" said Keandria.
Along with the encaustic wax project, club members also created a collage of items that reminded them of Camp Fire to keep at Trails Edge. "It's cool how you put white glue on the pictures and stuff and you can't see them," said Xavier, "but then it dries clear so that you can see everything."
As the club members said their goodbyes to McGowan, Ezekiel thanked him for the exciting project. "I liked meeting a new artist!" Ezekiel said.
McGowan will add finishing touches to the artwork, which will be displayed as part of the silent auction at Camp Fire's Centennial Celebration on June 3rd at Camp Tanadoona.
