Visual Art Summer Studio Experience
Shape Your Future in the Arts
Grades
9th – 12th grade
Cost
$500
Dates
July 13 – 24, 2026
Times
10 a.m. – 4:45 p.m.
Calling all passionate artists!
This immersive two-week program is tailored for students who are passionate about visual arts and aspire to pursue creative studies beyond high school. It’s ideal for those with basic artistic knowledge looking to develop their creative problem-solving skills and technical abilities. Through hands-on exploration of diverse materials and artistic techniques, participants will delve into the realms of sculpture, photography, and graphic design, fostering a deeper understanding of artistic expression and innovation. Whether you’re a beginner or an intermediate artist, this program is tailored to your needs.
Conclude your artistic journey with a public exhibition on Saturday, July 25th, from 1-3 PM. Share your accomplishments with family, friends, and the community as you showcase your growth and creativity through a stunning display of your finished works in the Rolland Art Center Galleries.To recognize and reward exceptional artistic talent, there will be an award ceremony the day of the exhibition at 2pm presenting a variety of awards. There will be monetary prizes as well as a prestigious $1,000 scholarship awarded to one outstanding student to support their artistic endeavors at the University of Saint Francis.
Lunch is NOT provided.
Please note: This program will not be incorporating the “Camp Castaway” theme.
Registration Spots: 15
Registration Deadline: June 26, 2026
Drawing
Refine your skills in visual observation and technical mark-making to bring your ideas to life on paper. This course balances fundamental skills with modern exploration, as students learn traditional techniques of charcoal and graphite by working directly from still life. Beyond the basics, you will dive into experimental drawing and collage to push the boundaries of your creative voice working both in the studio and outdoors in the natural environment. Through a series of guided exercises and finished projects, you will build a strong foundation in both realistic observational drawing and expressive contemporary techniques.
- Foundational Techniques: Hone the essential elements of drawing, including line quality, contour, crosshatching, and value scales. Learn how to use light and shadow to create the illusion of three-dimensional form and volume on a two-dimensional surface.
- Experimental Drawing & Collage: Break away from tradition by exploring unconventional mark-making and mixed media. Students will focus on experimental techniques and collage, learning how to layer textures and combine found materials with drawing to create impactful, contemporary visual narratives.
- Observational Skills: Develop your “artist’s eye” through dedicated sessions focusing on still life and physical forms. Learn to translate complex objects into accurate sketches, focusing on proportion, gesture, and the relationship between objects in space to achieve realistic depth.
Alternative Photography
Lens-less photography is the exploration of making a photograph without using a camera or lens. Redirecting our understanding back to the fundamentals and propelling our creativity with a combination of analog techniques alongside modern equipment. Using objects, light, and organic materials, students will produce one-of-a-kind prints. We will remove the mass production notion of photography, slow down, and meditate on the process.
- Analog & Lens-less Foundations: Hone your understanding of light-sensitive chemistry by creating Anthotypes, Phytograms, Chlorophyll Prints, Lumens, and Cyanotypes. Learn to harness UV light alongside objects and digital negatives to produce impactful “lens-less” images that emphasize shadow, silhouette, and form.
- Experimental Capture & Texture: Explore unconventional ways to record visual narratives using flatbed scanners, solarization, and hand-applied emulsions. Focus on capturing the intricate textures and ethereal details of everyday items that traditional camera lenses often overlook.
- Digital Design Integration: Build proficiency in the Mac lab using industry-standard software like Adobe Photoshop to digitize and transform your analog experiments. By using computers and Photoshop, students will develop skills to make their own digital negatives, setting them apart from the rest.
Sculpture
Transform your ideas into tangible reality by exploring the expressive power of three-dimensional art. This course invites students to evolve their creative visions from initial sketches into original, freestanding artworks that command the space around them. Moving beyond the sketchbook, participants will dive into a world of hands-on creation—learning to manipulate form, texture, and gravity while gaining the confidence to handle artistic tools and diverse materials safely. Through foundational techniques like modeling, assembly, and surface finishing, students will be challenged to push the boundaries of physical space and bring their imagination into the physical world.
- Form & Dimension: Build an understanding of how objects occupy space by mastering the concepts of mass, volume, and line. Explore the relationship between solid form and negative space, learning to create sculptures that capture the viewer’s eye and maintain visual interest from every angle.
- Material Exploration: Experiment with a diverse range of media, from the delicate detail of Super Sculpey and wire to the expressive potential of cardboard and found objects. Discover the unique properties of these materials and explore the possibilities of what they can become.
- Sculptural Storytelling: Refine your artistic voice by developing sculptures that convey a specific message or evoke a mood. By investigating concepts like balance, proportion, and movement, you will learn how to design work that interacts intentionally with its environment and the people who view it.
Why choose our program?
- Comprehensive Exploration: Explore a diverse range of mediums and artistic techniques through hands-on projects. Experimenting with new media expands artistic horizons, allowing for innovative expression and the development of unique visual languages.
- Join a Supportive Creative Community: Discover a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere where you can express your creativity and learn from your peers.
- Experienced Instructors: Learn from professional artists! Classes are taught by our current Division of Creative Arts Faculty who are passionate about teaching and art making.
- Portfolio Development: Elevate your college scholarship applications with a compelling portfolio that highlights your artistic prowess and technical skills.
- Critiques: Engage in constructive critiques with instructors and peers. This invaluable feedback will help you refine your artistic vision, strengthen your technical skills, and foster a deeper understanding of your creative process and decision-making abilities.
- Small Class Sizes: We keep our class sizes small to ensure that each student receives individual attention.
- Affordable Pricing: We offer competitive pricing to make our program accessible to everyone.
Faculty biographies
Eric Carlson
Eric holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ceramics, Metal & Jewelry from Illinois State University, and a Master of Fine Arts in Ceramics at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Eric is a current Division of Creative Arts faculty member who teaches 3D Foundations, Ceramics, Sculpture, & Jewelry. He also advises our student run ceramics club, Mudslingers as well as manages our 3D student studio spaces.
Ashley Beatty
Ashley is a Fort Wayne professional photographer. She holds a BFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and an MFA in 2019 from Cranbrook Academy of Art. In 2018, Beatty received the Larson Award, which allowed her to conduct further research alongside Smithsonian biologists. Additionally, her artwork was presented at the Photography 6 Exhibition at Foundry Art Centre’s in Saint Charles, MO and was shown in Edenton, NC and Detroit, MI in 2019. That same year, she gave a lecture in Beijing, China and taught in Shanghai, China. Beatty has participated in artist residencies at OxBow, Plyspace, and Peanut Factory. Ashley currently teaches Photography in the Division of Creative Arts, manages the Creative Arts Printshop, and advises our F8 student run photo club.
Justin Johnson
Justin is a USF alumnus holding both a bachelor’s degree in fine/commercial art and a Master of Arts degree in studio art drawing. Justin has been the SF Gallery Director since 2001 curating exhibitions in our three main galleries as well as in spaces across campus including our outdoor sculpture garden. He works closely with donors and has helped to grow our permanent collection to over 5,000 works of art. Justin currently does most of the design work for the Division of Creative Arts Marketing as well as special projects across campus. He also manages our Creative Arts work study students and teaches graphic design and illustration courses in the Division of Creative Arts.
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