Visual Arts Center of New Jersey

Summer Art Camp, Week 10
2021-08-23 - 2021-08-28 | NJ
Kids (ages 5–9)
Comics, Cartoons & Characters
August 23–27, 10 AM–3 PM
Explore the world of cartoons, comics, and popular characters in this favorite week of camp! Create super art projects like a baby-Yoda drawing, a Harry Potter Patronus painting, and superhero and alter-ego illustrations.

Tweens (ages 10–12)
Sculpture Techniques and Comic Book Design WAITLIST ONLY
August 23–27, 10 AM–3 PM
Sculpture Techniques: Create art in the round! Tweens will learn to use sculpting tools and techniques to create 3D sculptures. Tweens will go beyond just the hand-building process—they will learn more advanced techniques to refine and build their sculptures. Students will work with a variety of sculpture materials and complete a 3D sculpture during this camp.
Comic Book Illustration: Tweens will imagine and bring to life their own comic book characters! Campers will learn different illustration techniques and styles to help them create an expressive and unique cast of characters and once designed, they will create a comic strip featuring their newly imagined cast.

Teens (ages 13+)
Fashion Design Illustration and Essential Drawing and Painting
August 23–27, 10 AM–3 PM
Fashion Design Illustration: Learn how to bring your fashion dreams to life through illustration! Learn the basics of fashion illustration such as drawing proportion figures, garment illustration techniques, and fabric rendering. Students will learn how to create a collection of fashion illustrations employing drawing skills learned during the class and from their own creative design ideas.
Essential Drawing and Painting Techniques: This camp is perfect for the tween looking to develop the foundational skills of drawing and painting. Tweens will use their observational skills and gain familiarity with diverse media (such as graphite, charcoal, and acrylics) through drawing exercises that may include gesture drawings, blind contours, and contour drawings. Linear perspective, color theory, and building form with light and shadow will also be covered as tweens render their artistic creations.

Summer Art Camp, Week 9
2021-08-16 - 2021-08-21 | NJ
Kids (ages 5–9)
NEW! Appetite for Art
August 16–20, 10 AM–3 PM
Dig in! This NEW week of camp will feature art projects inspired by delicious foods and snacks. Campers will learn several art techniques while creating projects like clay pizzas, mixed-berry collages, and candy-wrapper illustrations.

Tweens (ages 10–12)
Graffiti and Essential Drawing and Painting WAITLIST ONLY
August 16–20, 10 AM–3 PM
Graffiti: Make art with your mark! Tweens will create their own tag using soft and sharp shapes, wild style, or Gothic font. Learn how to create 3D letters using perspective and make connected letters that flow. Tweens will draw a background setting and arrange graffiti into an aesthetically pleasing composition. Fine art concepts such as composition, perspective, and color theory, will all be taught alongside graffiti painting techniques. To promote a healthy environment, spray paint will not be used in this camp.
Essential Drawing and Painting Techniques: This camp is perfect for the tween looking to develop the foundational skills of drawing and painting. Tweens will use their observational skills and gain familiarity with diverse media (such as graphite, charcoal, and acrylics) through drawing exercises that may include gesture drawings, blind contours, and contour drawings. Linear perspective, color theory, and building form with light and shadow will also be covered as tweens render their artistic creations.

Teens (ages 13+)
Assemblage and Painting with Pastels
August 16–20, 10 AM–3 PM
Assemblage: Teens will transform everyday items into expressive, personal sculptures! Imagine all the artistic possibilities in combining materials such as paper, plastic, clay, and wire with found objects. Through demonstrations and hands-on practice, teens will learn various techniques to manipulate the materials and create one-of-a-kind sculptures.
Painting with Pastels: Pastel straddles the line between painting and drawing. During this camp, teens will be introduced to the essentials needed to draw and paint using pastels. This will include fundamentals such as drawing, light and shadow, composition, color theory, and basic perspective. Both still life and landscape will be incorporated to create finished works of art.

Summer Art Camp, Week 8
2021-08-09 - 2021-08-14 | NJ
Kids (ages 5–9)
Art & Nature
August 9–13, 10 AM–3 PM
Summer is the perfect time to find beauty in our natural world and celebrate it through art. Kids will be inspired by nature to create projects such as patterned leaf drawings and a ceramic butterfly or bug dish.
In-Person Saturday Art Camp (Ages 6–9)
August 14, 10 AM–1 PM
Explore a variety of art media and creative themes over the course of six Saturdays. On each date, campers will create two projects. Featured project themes will include Mini Masters, Animals & Wildlife Art. Color Explosion. Creative Creatures, Art Around the World, and Art & Nature.

Tweens (ages 10–12)
Fiber Sculpture and Art Journaling
August 9–13, 10 AM–3 PM
Fiber Sculptures: Incorporate pattern and texture into sculpture through the use of fiber! Tweens will learn to bring their ideas and sketches to life, creating anything from plushies to abstract sculptures! While basic sewing may be involved, tweens will also explore other techniques to build their fiber sculptures.
Art Journaling: Art journaling is a wonderful habit for everyone, not just artists! Keeping a journal that contains one’s inspirations, frustrations, dreams, and fears is a way to creatively process everyday life. Tweens will make their own journal with simple bookbinding techniques and will fill its pages both inside and outside of camp. We’ll also encourage tweens to share their journaling journey during camp.
Digital Art WAITLIST ONLY
August 9–13, 10 AM–12:15 PM
Dive into digital! In our fully-equipped digital lab, campers will use software to explore the concept of fine art in the digital realm while analyzing elements of art and learning how to apply them digitally. This camp will also cover artistic concepts of composition and idea development. Students must have a portable storage device, such as a thumb drive, as a backup for saving their progress in class.

Teens (ages 13+)
Functional Ceramics & Intro to Comic Book Illustration and Fiber Arts
August 9–13, 10 AM–3 PM
Functional Ceramics (3 day): Our most popular week of camp! Teens will learn the fundamentals of hand-building, wheel throwing, and applying glazes while creating functional ceramic items, such as cups, mugs, bowls, and plates.
Comic Book Illustration (2 day): Teens will imagine and bring to life their own comic book characters! Campers will learn different illustration techniques and styles to help them create an expressive and unique cast of characters. Once students have designed and developed their characters, they will create a comic strip featuring their newly imagined cast.
Fiber Arts: If you are interested in color, texture, and fiber, come explore the wonderful world of fiber arts. Teens will create functional and decorative textiles by learning the basics of how to warp and weave on a loom, Campers will create several skill-building projects during this exciting week of camp.
Digital Art WAITLIST ONLY
August 9–13, 12:45–3 PM
Dive into digital! In our fully-equipped digital lab, campers will use software to explore the concept of fine art in the digital realm while analyzing elements of art and learning how to apply them digitally. This camp will also cover artistic concepts of composition and idea development. Students must have a portable storage device, such as a thumb drive, as a backup for saving their progress in class.

Summer Art Camp, Week 7
2021-08-02 - 2021-08-07 | NJ
Kids (ages 5–9)
Art Around the World
August 2–6, 10 AM–3 PM
Kids will “travel” the world and learn how different cultures create art. Print henna-decorated hands from India, illustrate a Celtic initial, and create Mexican-inspired ceramics. Your camper will become fluent in the universal language of art!
In-Person Saturday Art Camp (Ages 6–9)
August 7, 10 AM–1 PM
Explore a variety of art media and creative themes over the course of six Saturdays. On each date, campers will create two projects. Featured project themes will include Mini Masters, Animals & Wildlife Art. Color Explosion. Creative Creatures, Art Around the World, and Art & Nature.

Tweens (ages 10–12)
Expressive Ceramics & Mixed Media and Drawing Portraits WAITLIST ONLY
August 2–6, 10 AM–3 PM
Expressive Ceramics (3 day): Tweens will learn the fundamentals of hand-building, wheel throwing, and applying glazes while creating expressive works of art in clay.
Mixed Media Collage (2 day): Utilizing a variety of materials, tweens will investigate different approaches and techniques to the art of collage. Materials may include textiles, magazines, scrapbook paper, and construction paper, as well as a tween’s own photographs or hand-painted paper.
Drawing Portraits: Take your observational drawing skills to the next level! Tweens will draw directly from a life portrait model, focusing on the features of the human face. This camp will explore light and shading, allowing tweens to gain a better understanding of the facial structure through demonstration and drawing exercises.
Photography and Digital Photo Editing WAITLIST ONLY
August 2–6, 10 AM–12:15 PM
Capture and edit images to create expressive photographs. Tweens will learn the basic concepts of photography, experimenting with light, composition, depth of field, and more. Tweens will gain an understanding of how to use a digital camera and will spend time in the digital lab editing their photographs. Students will need to bring a digital camera or smartphone with a camera for this course. Students must also have a portable storage device, such as a thumb drive, as a backup for saving their progress in class.

Teens (ages 13+)
Art Journaling and Sculpture Techniques
August 2–6, 10 AM–3 PM
Art Journaling: Art journaling is a wonderful habit for everyone, not just artists! Keeping a journal that contains one’s inspirations, frustrations, dreams, and fears is a way to creatively process everyday life. Teens will make their own journal with simple bookbinding techniques and will fill its pages both inside and outside of camp. We’ll also encourage teens to share their journaling journey during camp.
Sculpture Techniques: Create art in the round! Teens will learn to use sculpting tools and techniques to create 3D sculptures. Teens will go beyond just the hand-building process—they will learn more advanced techniques to refine and build their sculptures. Students will work with a variety of sculpture materials and complete a 3D sculpture during this camp.
Photography and Digital Photo Editing WAITLIST ONLY
August 2–6, 12:45–3 PM
Capture and edit images to create expressive photographs. Tweens will learn the basic concepts of photography, experimenting with light, composition, depth of field, and more. Tweens will gain an understanding of how to use a digital camera and will spend time in the digital lab editing their photographs. Students will need to bring a digital camera or smartphone with a camera for this course. Students must also have a portable storage device, such as a thumb drive, as a backup for saving their progress in class.

Dreamcatcher Repertory Theater Summer Solos 2021
2021-07-28 18:30 - 20:00 UTC | NJ
Join the Dreamcatcher Repertory Theater for the return of Summer Solos (formerly Monologues@MONDO), the weekly solo reading series! All tickets $20 (advance sales only) and readings will be done on the law of the Art Center. Bring your own blanket or lawn chairs, picnic, and/or snacks! Rain dates for all performances are the Thursday following the scheduled date.
Wednesday, July 28, at 6:30 PM (rain date Thursday, July 29 at 6:30 PM)
Forever by Dael Orlandersmith
Inspired by her experiences in Paris at the famed Père Lachaise Cemetery—the final resting place of such legendary artists as Richard Wright and Jim Morrison—award-winning playwright/performer Dael Orlandersmith explores the strange way we form powerful bonds with people who, though unrelated to us by blood, come to feel like family. Orlandersmith investigates the complex legacy she received from her mother—a legacy of bitterness, abuse, and frustration, but also of poetry, music, and art.
Featuring: Nicole Callender
Purchase tickets here.

Summer Art Camp, Week 6
2021-07-26 - 2021-07-31 | NJ
Kids (ages 5–9)
Creative Creatures WAITLIST ONLY
July 26–30, 10 AM–3 PM
Let your imagination run wild! This week, campers will make art featuring wildly creative creatures. Join us to make crazy and creative projects such as ceramic dragons, monster drawings, and a pastel Pegasus.
In-Person Saturday Art Camp (Ages 6–9)
July 31, 10 AM–1 PM
Explore a variety of art media and creative themes over the course of six Saturdays. On each date, campers will create two projects. Featured project themes will include Mini Masters, Animals & Wildlife Art. Color Explosion. Creative Creatures, Art Around the World, and Art & Nature.

Tweens (ages 10–12)
Experimental Fashion and Jewelry Design
July 26–30, 10 AM–3 PM
Experimental Fashion: Create fashion! Tweens will explore traditional and non-traditional fashion design, including sketching concepts and bring them to fruition, making anything from everyday clothing items to cosplay. Multiple sewing and fabricating techniques will be covered while tweens create wearable art. Students will also have the opportunity to design their own t-shirt during this week of camp.
Jewelry Design: Make your own jewelry! Tweens will experiment with jewelry-making techniques to create pendants and bracelets of their own original designs. After starting with a sketch, the instructor will guide tweens on using the best materials to create their vision. Projects may include, but are not limited to, wrapped wire pendants, polymer clay canes, and recycled paper beads.
Digital Pop Art
July 26–30, 10 AM–12:15 PM
Using our fully equipped digital lab, tweens will use Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom to explore the world of digital pop art. During the week, tweens will learn how to turn ordinary images into outrageous pop art by simplifying their image of choice into a simple contour drawing, and then letting their imaginations take the reigns by adding original combinations of color and design. Upon completion, student work will be printed for display. Students must have a portable storage device, such as a thumb drive, as a backup for saving their progress in class.

Teens (ages 13+)
Screen Printing and Graphic Arts
July 26–30, 10 AM–3 PM
Screen Printing: Teens will learn basic screen-printing techniques, including image-making, screen and material preparation, mono-printing, and edition printing. Campers will learn to develop prints on paper while experimenting with the possibilities of screen printing.
Graphic Arts: Graphic design is art applied to objects you see every day. During this week of camp, teens will learn the basics of graphic design, including typography, page layout, and marketing. Projects will help build foundational art skills, as campers will use traditional non-digital techniques while working on projects such as designing a logo, package design, magazine page layouts, and t-shirt design. If you are interested in finding dynamic ways to communicate your ideas, this is the camp for you.
Digital Pop Art
July 26–30, 12:45–3 PM
Using our fully equipped digital lab, teens will use Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom to explore the world of digital pop art. During the week, tweens will learn how to turn ordinary images into outrageous pop art by simplifying their image of choice into a simple contour drawing, and then letting their imaginations take the reigns by adding original combinations of color and design. Upon completion, student work will be printed for display. Students must have a portable storage device, such as a thumb drive, as a backup for saving their progress in class.

Dreamcatcher Repertory Theater Summer Solos 2021
2021-07-21 18:30 - 20:00 | NJ
Join the Dreamcatcher Repertory Theater for the return of Summer Solos (formerly Monologues@MONDO), the weekly solo reading series! All tickets $20 (advance sales only) and readings will be done on the law of the Art Center. Bring your own blanket or lawn chairs, picnic, and/or snacks! Rain dates for all performances are the Thursday following the scheduled date.
Wednesday, July 21, at 6:30 PM (rain date Thursday, July 22 at 6:30 PM)
Harry Clarke by David Cale
Harry Clarke is the story of a shy midwestern man who feels more himself when adopting the persona of cocky Londoner Harry Clarke. Moving to New York and presenting himself as an Englishman, he charms his way into a wealthy family’s life, romancing two family members as the seductive and sexually precocious Harry, with more on his mind than love. With his spellbinding and emotionally nuanced storytelling, Cale has created a riveting story of a man leading an outrageous double life.
Featuring: Clark Carmichael
Purchase tickets here.

Summer Art Camp, Week 5
2021-07-19 - 2021-07-24 | NJ
Kids (ages 5–9)
Color Explosion WAITLIST ONLY
July 19–23, 10 AM–3 PM
Explore color! This camp introduces kids to the bold pop-art movement and other ways in which vibrant colors can be used in artwork. Kids will create projects that play with colors, such as multi-colored kaleidoscope paintings and a mixed-media color-wheel collage.
In-Person Saturday Art Camp (Ages 6–9)
July 24, 10 AM–1 PM
Explore a variety of art media and creative themes over the course of six Saturdays. On each date, campers will create two projects. Featured project themes will include Mini Masters, Animals & Wildlife Art. Color Explosion. Creative Creatures, Art Around the World, and Art & Nature.

Tweens (ages 10–12)
Watercolor Exploration and Assemblage WAITLIST ONLY
July 19–23, 10 AM–3 PM
Watercolor Exploration: Watercolor is a classic painting medium that builds upon drawing skills while also incorporating color theory. The foundations of watercolor painting and color mixing will be explored as tweens are introduced to a variety of techniques, including basic washes, layering of paints, and how to create strong compositions with the interplay of dark and light values.
Assemblage: Tweens will transform everyday items into expressive, personal sculptures! Imagine all the artistic possibilities in combining materials such as paper, plastic, clay, and wire with found objects. Through demonstrations and hands-on practice, tweens will learn various techniques to manipulate the materials and create one-of-a-kind sculptures.
Digital Art
July 19–23, 10 AM–12:15 PM
Dive into digital! In our fully-equipped digital lab, campers will use software to explore the concept of fine art in the digital realm while analyzing elements of art and learning how to apply them digitally. This camp will also cover artistic concepts of composition and idea development. Students must have a portable storage device, such as a thumb drive, as a backup for saving their progress in class.

Teens (ages 13+)
Experimental Fashion and Jewelry Design
July 19–23, 10 AM–3 PM
Experimental Fashion: Teens will explore traditional and non-traditional fashion design, including sketching concepts, and bring them to fruition, making anything from everyday clothing items to cosplay. Multiple sewing and fabricating techniques will be covered while tweens create wearable art. Students will also have the opportunity to design their own t-shirt during this week of camp.
Jewelry Design: Make your own jewelry! Teens will experiment with jewelry-making techniques to create pendants and bracelets of their own original designs. After starting with a sketch, the instructor will help teens use a variety of materials to create their vision. Projects may include, but are not limited to, wrapped wire pendants, polymer clay canes, and recycled paper beads.
Digital Art WAITLIST ONLY
July 19–23, 12:45–3 PM
Dive into digital! In our fully-equipped digital lab, campers will use software to explore the concept of fine art in the digital realm while analyzing elements of art and learning how to apply them digitally. This camp will also cover artistic concepts of composition and idea development. Students must have a portable storage device, such as a thumb drive, as a backup for saving their progress in class.

Dreamcatcher Repertory Theater Summer Solos 2021
2021-07-14 18:30 - 20:00 | NJ
Join the Dreamcatcher Repertory Theater for the return of Summer Solos (formerly Monologues@MONDO), the weekly solo reading series! All tickets $20 (advance sales only) and readings will be done on the law of the Art Center. Bring your own blanket or lawn chairs, picnic, and/or snacks! Rain dates for all performances are the Thursday following the scheduled date.
Wednesday, July 14 at 6:30 PM (rain date Thursday, July 15 at 6:30 PM)
I Hate This (a play without the baby) by David Hansen
David and his wife Toni learn at her 30-week check-up that their unborn child has died. Jumping back and forth between two timelines, David tells the story of the 36 hours between learning this truth and the birth of their first child, as well as the year that follows—detailing the frustration, recrimination, guilt, sorrow, and ultimate acceptance of their son’s death.
Featuring: Jason Szamreta
Purchase tickets here.

Summer Art Camp, Week 4
2021-07-12 - 2021-07-17 | NJ
Kids (ages 5–9)
Animals & Wildlife Art WAITLIST ONLY
July 12–16, 10 AM–3 PM
This week of camp is like taking a trip to the zoo, but way more creative! Explore the exciting world of animals and their amazing habitats. Kids will create projects such as clay owls and patterned rhinos.
In-Person Saturday Art Camp for Kids (ages 6–9)
July 17, 10 AM–1 PM
Explore a variety of art media and creative themes over the course of six Saturdays. On each date, campers will create two projects. Featured project themes will include Mini Masters, Animals & Wildlife Art. Color Explosion. Creative Creatures, Art Around the World, and Art & Nature.

Tweens (ages 10–12)
Functional Ceramics & Comic Book Illustration and Art Journaling WAITLIST ONLY
July 12–16, 10 AM–3 PM
Functional Ceramics (3 day): Our most popular week of camp! Tweens will learn the fundamentals of hand-building, wheel throwing, and applying glazes while creating functional ceramic items, such as cups, mugs, bowls, and plates.
Comic Book Illustration (2 day): Tweens will imagine and bring to life their own comic book characters! Campers will learn different illustration techniques and styles to help them create an expressive and unique cast of characters. Once students have designed and developed their characters, they will create a comic strip featuring their newly imagined cast.
Art Journaling: Art journaling is a wonderful habit for everyone, not just artists! Keeping a journal that contains one’s inspirations, frustrations, dreams, and fears is a way to creatively process everyday life. Tweens will make their own journal with simple bookbinding techniques and will fill its pages both inside and outside of camp. We’ll also encourage tweens to share their journaling journey during camp.
Photography and Digital Photo Editing WAITLIST ONLY
July 12–16, 10 AM–12:15 PM
Capture and edit images to create expressive photographs. Tweens will learn the basic concepts of photography, experimenting with light, composition, depth of field, and more. Tweens will gain an understanding of how to use a digital camera and will spend time in the digital lab editing their photographs. Students will need to bring a digital camera or smartphone with a camera for this course. Students must also have a portable storage device, such as a thumb drive, as a backup for saving their progress in class.

Teens (ages 13+)
Essential Drawing and Painting and Soft Sculpture WAITLIST ONLY
July 12–16, 10 AM–3 PM
Essential Drawing and Painting Techniques: This camp is perfect for the teen looking to develop the foundational skills of drawing and painting. Teens will use their observational skills and gain familiarity with diverse media (such as graphite, charcoal, and acrylics) through drawing exercises that may include gesture drawings, blind contours, and contour drawings. Linear perspective, color theory, and building form with light and shadow will also be covered as teens render their artistic creations.
Soft Sculpture: This camp takes the best of fiber arts and sculpture and merges them into a whole new art form: soft sculpture! Using textural materials such as felt, fibers, and notions—along with imagination and creativity—campers will design, prototype, and create both relief sculpture and sculpture in the round. Being able to sew is a bonus, but not necessary, since multiple methods of soft sculpture construction will be covered. Campers will create several projects ranging in scale over the course of the week.
Photography and Digital Photo Editing WAITLIST ONLY
July 12–16, 12:45–3 PM
Capture and edit images to create expressive photographs. Tweens will learn the basic concepts of photography, experimenting with light, composition, depth of field, and more. Tweens will gain an understanding of how to use a digital camera and will spend time in the digital lab editing their photographs. Students will need to bring a digital camera or smartphone with a camera for this course. Students must also have a portable storage device, such as a thumb drive, as a backup for saving their progress in class.

Art and Personal/Collective Wellness with Melissa Diaz
2021-07-10 13:00 - 14:00 | NJ
Artist and board-certified art therapist Melissa Diaz will reference the creation of community art initiatives and the concept of collaboration to discuss both professional development and personal and community wellness. Diaz will speak about her journey as an art therapist, how it intersects with her art practice, and art as a tool for social activism and empowerment. She will also share the importance of letting your art therapy training impact your artwork and vice versa, acknowledging the mutuality of impact as a source of developing one’s framework. She will share examples from her community art initiatives, clinical and academic programming, and practical information on current sentiments on the field of art therapy and the incorporation of wellness practices in other creative capacities.
Click here to register.

Dreamcatcher Repertory Theater Summer Solos 2021
2021-07-07 18:30 - 20:00 | NJ
Join the Dreamcatcher Repertory Theater for the return of Summer Solos (formerly Monologues@MONDO), the weekly solo reading series! All tickets $20 (advance sales only) and readings will be done on the law of the Art Center. Bring your own blanket or lawn chairs, picnic, and/or snacks! Rain dates for all performances are the Thursday following the scheduled date.
Wednesday, July 7 at 6:30 PM (rain date Thursday, July 8 at 6:30 PM)
Donna Orbits the Moon by Ian August
Something is not quite right with Donna: She’s a loving mother, a devoted wife, and a minor celebrity to all the bake sale planners in town–but something is making her spacey, and she’s not sure what it is. Therapy is out of the question–and church isn’t the place to share one’s distress. Donna will need to pass through space and through time–all the while listening to an unlikely voice–and try to break free from her gravitational pull to learn just how she can land.
Featuring: Laura Ekstrand
Purchase tickets here.

Summer Art Camp, Week 3
2021-07-05 - 2021-07-10 | NJ
Kids (ages 5–9)
Mini Masters
July 5–9, 10 AM–3 PM
Kids become mini masters while experimenting with art media and techniques used by famous artists. Create a sculpture like those made by Picasso, design a mixed media work based on Alma Thomas’s paintings, and paint in watercolor-like Rousseau.

In-Person Saturday Art Camp (Ages 6–9)
Explore a variety of art media and creative themes over the course of six Saturdays. On each date, campers will create two projects. Featured project themes will include Mini Masters, Animals & Wildlife Art. Color Explosion. Creative Creatures, Art Around the World, and Art & Nature.
July 10 WAITLIST ONLY
All Six Sessions
Tweens (ages 10–12)
Fashion Design Illustration and Soft Sculpture WAITLIST ONLY
July 5–9, 10 AM–3 PM
Fashion Design Illustration: Learn how to bring your fashion dreams to life through illustration! Tweens will learn the basics of fashion illustration such as drawing proportional figures, garment illustration techniques, and fabric rendering. Students will learn how to create a collection of fashion illustrations employing drawing skills learned during the class and from their own creative design ideas.
Soft Sculpture: This camp takes the best of fiber arts and sculpture and merges them into a whole new art form: soft sculpture! Using textural materials such as felt, fibers, and notions—along with imagination and creativity—campers will design, prototype, and create both relief sculpture and sculpture in the round. Being able to sew is a bonus, but not necessary since multiple methods of soft-sculpture construction will be covered. Campers will create several projects ranging in scale over the course of the week.
Digital Pop Art WAITLIST ONLY
July 5–9, 10 AM–12:15 PM
Using our fully equipped digital lab, tweens will use Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom to explore the world of digital pop art. During the week, tweens will learn how to turn ordinary images into outrageous pop art by simplifying their image of choice into a simple contour drawing, and then letting their imaginations take the reigns by adding original combinations of color and design. Upon completion, student work will be printed for display. Students must have a portable storage device, such as a thumb drive, as a backup for saving their progress in class.
Tweens (ages 10–12)
Expressive Ceramics & Mixed Media Collage and Drawing Portraits
July 5–9, 10 AM–3 PM
Expressive Ceramics (3 day): Teens will learn the fundamentals of hand-building, wheel throwing, and applying glazes while creating expressive works of art in clay.
Mixed Media Collage (2 day): Utilizing a variety of materials, teens will investigate different approaches and techniques to the art of collage. Materials may include textiles, magazines, scrapbook paper, and construction paper, as well as campers’ own photographs or hand-painted paper.
Drawing Portraits: Take your observational drawing skills to the next level! Teens will draw directly from a life portrait model, focusing on the features of the human face. This camp will explore light and shading, allowing teens to gain a better understanding of the facial structure through demonstration and drawing exercises.
Digital Pop Art
July 5–9, 12:45–3 PM
Using our fully equipped digital lab, teens will use Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom to explore the world of digital pop art. During the week, tweens will learn how to turn ordinary images into outrageous pop art by simplifying their image of choice into a simple contour drawing, and then letting their imaginations take the reigns by adding original combinations of color and design. Upon completion, student work will be printed for display. Students must have a portable storage device, such as a thumb drive, as a backup for saving their progress in class.

Summer Art Camp, Week 2
2021-06-28 - 2021-07-03 | NJ
Kids (ages 5–9)
Art Around America
June 28–July 2, 10 AM–3 PM
Celebrate Independence Day through artwork inspired by American artists and famous landmarks. During this holiday week, we’ll make art projects like prints inspired by American artist Robert Indiana, mixed media cityscapes, and ceramics with a nod to Native American pottery.
Tweens (ages 10–12)
Intro to Web Comics and Fiber Arts
June 28–July 2, 10 AM–3 PM
Intro to Webcomics: Explore the world of webcomics! Tweens will learn various hand-illustration techniques for comics, as well as discuss strategies for starting and maintaining a successful project on the web. Campers will focus on improving their artistic skills and will touch on ways in which they can safely and effectively use the web to their advantage. They will also discuss the best ways to manage consistent updates of their work online.
Fiber Arts: If you are interested in color, texture, and fiber, come explore the wonderful world of fiber arts. Tweens will create functional and decorative textiles by learning the basics of how to warp and weave on a loom, Campers will create several skill-building projects during this exciting week of camp.
Teens (ages 13+)
Printmaking Techniques and Watercolor Exploration WAITLIST ONLY
June 28–July 2, 10 AM–3 PM
Printmaking Techniques: In this unique camp, teens will create their own limited-edition prints on our professional presses! Teens will learn various techniques, styles, and tools of the printmaking trade through demonstrations and hands-on practice. This camp will cover techniques including Plexiglass drypoint and monoprinting, as teens create original one-of-a-kind or editionable prints.
Watercolor Exploration: Watercolor is a classic painting medium that builds upon drawing skills while also incorporating color theory. The foundations of watercolor painting and color mixing will be explored as teens are introduced to a variety of techniques, including basic washes, layering of paints, and how to create strong compositions with the interplay of dark and light values.

Members Opening - Wendy Robinson: My Kingdom of Animals
2021-06-27 13:00 - 16:00 | NJ
Join Wendy Robinson as she opens her Member Exhibition, My Kingdom of Animals in Ann’s Place Gallery on Sunday, June 27, 1–4 PM.

The exhibition will be on display from June 26–September 12. For more information, click here.

Summer Art Camp, Week 1
2021-06-21 - 2021-06-26 | NJ
Kids (ages 5–9)
NEW! Summer Sampler WAITLIST ONLY
June 21–25, 10 AM–3 PM
Sample all that summer art camp has to offer! Try projects inspired by our upcoming camp sessions, as well as a few based on classic summer pastimes. Projects will not be repeated later this summer should your camper come for another week.
Tweens (ages 10–12)
Printmaking Techniques and Comic, Cartoons & Anime WAITLIST ONLY
June 21–25, 10 AM–3 PM
Printmaking Techniques: In this unique camp, tweens will create their own limited-edition prints on our professional presses! Tweens will learn various techniques, styles, and tools of the printmaking trade through demonstrations and hands-on practice. This camp will cover techniques including Plexiglass drypoint and monoprinting, as tweens create original one-of-a-kind or editionable prints.
Comics, Cartoons & Anime: Calling all comic, cartoon, and anime lovers! Tweens will explore drawing popular characters and work on simple and effective techniques for creating their own character concepts. Master a unique style of creating cartoon, anime, and comic art.
Teens (ages 13+)
Art Journaling and Fiber Sculpture
June 21–25, 10 AM–3 PM
Art Journaling: Art journaling is a wonderful habit for everyone, not just artists! Keeping a journal that contains one’s inspirations, frustrations, dreams, and fears is a way to creatively process everyday life. Teens will make their own journal with simple bookbinding techniques and will fill its pages both inside and outside of camp. We’ll also encourage teens to share their journaling journey during camp.
Fiber Sculptures: Incorporate pattern and texture into sculpture through the use of fiber! Teens will learn to bring their ideas and sketches to life, creating anything from plushies to abstract sculptures! While basic sewing may be involved, teens will also explore other techniques to build their fiber sculptures. Pre-made patterns will be available, but with the guidance of their instructor, teens can also create their own templates for original designs.

Summer Art Camp Begins!
2021-06-21 | NJ
Click here to learn more about all our Summer Art Camp offerings!
Register now for the most creative camp in town! In-person and online options are available for kids, tweens, and teens of all skill levels. Full-day and half-day options too, including before and after care! Camp begins on June 21 and runs through August 27.

Raku-Fest 2021
2021-06-12 - 2021-06-13 | NJ
Raku-Fest Returns to the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey
Saturday, June 12 & Sunday, June 13, 10 AM–5 PM
We are excited to announce the return of a classic Art Center event: Raku-Fest! Raku-Fest showcases a unique ceramic firing process in which red-hot ceramic pieces are transferred directly from the kiln into a container of combustible materials. The heat of the ceramic causes the materials to ignite, and the resulting smoke creates one-of-a-kind effects in the ceramic glaze. Led by raku veterans Peter Syak and Lisette Bedoya, this is sure to be an amazing event!

Three Ways to Participate:
Option One: Drop-off Raku Firing
Do you have ceramic work already made that you want raku-fired? Our talented instructors will fire them during the event. Register in advance, then drop off your piece(s) at the Art Center by Thursday, June 10. Pieces must have your name or mark and should be boxed and clearly labeled with your name.
$20 per piece. Note: to ensure proper firing, pieces must be made with raku clay purchased from the Art Center. Maximum dimensions of about 12 x 12 x 8 inches per piece. Students do not need to attend and will be contacted following the event regarding pickup. If you wish to attend the event, please also register for admission.
Option Two: Attend the Event—advance registration required
A socially distanced audience can watch the action live as multiple raku firings take place throughout the day. To limit capacity, admission is available for either morning (10 AM–1 PM) or afternoon (2–5 PM) on both days. Attendees may arrive any time during their time window. Walk-ins on the day of the event will be available only if capacity allows.
$5 per person admission fee. Children 17 & under are free but must be accompanied by a paying adult. Please enter the number of children attending during registration.
Option Three: Attend the Event & Glaze Items for Purchase—advance registration required
An assortment of pre-made ceramic pieces will be available for purchase for participants to glaze and have fired during the event. If you choose to glaze an item, your $5 admission fee will be deducted from the cost of the item. Items available for purchase and glazing include: jewelry pieces, plates, and pots of varying sizes. Walk-ins on the day of the event will be available only if capacity allows.
Register Here:

Saturday, Morning Session
Saturday, Afternoon Session
Sunday, Morning Session
Sunday, Afternoon Session
Drop off Firing

Sip and Cinema - Exhibition on Screen: Frida Kahlo
2021-06-01 13:00 - 14:00 | NJ
Take a journey through the life of the iconic Frida Kahlo—discover her art, and uncover the truth behind her often turbulent life. Making use of the latest technology to deliver previously unimaginable quality, this film takes an in-depth look at key works throughout her career. This film delves deeper than any film has done before, engaging with world-renowned Kahlo experts, exploring how great an artist she was. Then join us on Tuesday, June 1 at 1 PM for a virtual discussion with special guest Professor Gannit Ankori, the Henry and Lois Foster Director and Chief Curator at the Rose Art Museum, at Brandeis University. The discussion moderated by Mary Birmingham, curator of the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey.
Watch the trailer and rent the film here.
Register for the free discussion on June 1 here.

Annual Spring Gala 2021: Paint the Town - Auction and Zoom Information
2021-05-22 19:30 - 21:00 | NJ
ANNUAL SPRING GALA
May 22, 2021
7:30 PM via Zoom & Small-Party Pods
Click here for more information.

Summer Exhibitions Opening
2021-05-08 13:00 - 17:00 | Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, 68 Elm Street, Summit, NJ, 07901, United States
We invite you to join us on Saturday, May 8th, 1–5 PM, as we will celebrate the opening of feature solo exhibitions by two New Jersey artists. In the Main Gallery, Nancy Cohen will show a series of large-scale drawings made from paper pulp and handmade paper alongside an array of suspended glass sculptures in her show titled Nancy Cohen: Atlas of Impermanence. Cohen is interested in the juxtaposition of fragility and strength and chooses materials that embody these qualities both physically and metaphorically.
Katrina Bello’s installation, Knowable Earth, will be on view in the Eisenberg Gallery. Comprising three monumental drawings, a series of smaller drawings, and a video, the exhibition explores the beauty, complexity, and fragility of the natural world and our relation to it.
To provide the safest viewing experience possible, visitors interested in viewing our summer exhibitions must make reservations for limited, one-hour time slots. Click here to reserve a time slot to view both exhibitions. These shows are free and open to the public, but donations are accepted.

Deadline For Entry - 2021–2022 Members Shows
2021-05-02 | NJ
The deadline to apply for our members 2021–2021 exhibition season is Sunday, May 2. The Members Committee is accepting applications from members to exhibit their work at the Art Center as well as other community spaces in Summit. You may submit a proposal for a solo exhibit or for a group exhibition of member artists who wish to show collectively.
Applications must include:

10 images (in jpg or pdf form) representative of the work to be shown with an identifying list of the titles, sizes, and media of those images.
Contact information including name, email, and phone number of the person proposing the exhibition.
A description of the exhibition including exhibition title, names of the participating artist(s), and the concepts or themes that will be explored in it.

All participating artists must be current members of the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey at the time of proposal. Send the complete proposal via email to: mcohn@artcenternj.org with “Proposal for Members Committee” in the subject line. Incomplete proposals will NOT be considered. All proposals must be received by Sunday, May 2. Please direct all questions to Executive Director Melanie Cohn at mcohn@artcenternj.org.
Not a member? Click here to become one now!

Virtual Artist Talk: (de)coding
2021-04-20 19:00 - 20:00 | NJ
Join VACNJ Curator Mary Birmingham as she moderates this conversation with several of the exhibiting artists featured in the Art Center’s Main Gallery exhibition (de)coding. Learn how each artist creates codes in their work and what the word “decoding” means to them.
Participating artists: Gina Adams, Elizabeth Duffy, DARNstudio, Debra Ramsay, Kwesi Kwarteng, Leslie Roberts, Shanti Grumbine, and Viviane Rombaldi-Seppey.
Click here to register.

In-Person Spring Break Art Camp (ages 10-12)
2021-03-29 13:00 - 2021-04-02 16:00 | NJ
In-Person Small Group Spring Break Art Camp (ages 10–12)
Monday, March 29–Friday, April 2
Join us for a special Small Group Spring Break Art Camp for weens ages 10–12! Young artists will learn from our talented teaching artists, create unique art projects, and socialize with friends in our indoor studios. This half-day camp will feature art-making in a variety of media in a small, socially distanced environment. For public safety, campers will be temperature screened and required to wear face coverings. Please send campers with a water bottle only (there will not be a lunch period) and in clothes that can get messy.
Schedule
12:45–1 PM: Drop-off
1 – 4 PM: Artmaking sessions
4–4:15 PM: Pick-up

In-Person Spring Break Art Camp (ages 5–9)
2021-03-29 09:00 - 2021-04-02 12:00 | NJ
In-Person Small Group Spring Break Art Camp (ages 5–9)
Monday, March 29–Friday, April 2
Join us for a special Small Group Spring Break Art Camp for kids ages 5–9! Young artists will learn from our talented teaching artists, create unique art projects, and socialize with friends in our indoor studios. This half-day camp will feature art-making in a variety of media in a small, socially distanced environment. For public safety, campers will be temperature screened and required to wear face coverings. Please send campers with a water bottle only (there will not be a lunch period) and in clothes that can get messy.
Schedule
8:45–9 AM: Drop-off
9 AM–12 PM: Artmaking sessions
12–12:15 PM: Pick-up

Virtual Road Trip
2021-03-24 13:00 - 14:00 | NJ
This year, our road trip has gone online! Join VACNJ curator Mary Birmingham on Wednesday, March 24, for a virtual road trip exploring the growing trend of quilts in contemporary art. She will share her impressions of three recently closed exhibitions: Sanford Biggers: Codeswitch at The Bronx Museum of the Arts; Bisa Butler: Portraits at the Katonah Museum of Art; and Jesse Krimes: American Rendition at Malin Gallery in Chelsea. And since we are not limited by time or distance on this virtual outing, we will also check out Radical Tradition: American Quilts and Social Change, a recent show at the Toledo Museum of Art that has received a great deal of critical attention, and also talk about the related works in the Art Center’s current exhibition (de)coding.

Click here to register. Free for members/$20 for non-members.

International Women's Day: Virtual Artist Talk
2021-03-08 19:00 - 20:00 | NJ
International Women’s Day is Monday, March 8. In celebration of that date, the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey will host a virtual artist talk with Spandita Malik, Elan Cadiz, and Rasika Reddy, all women artists with solo exhibitions on view at the Art Center through April 25. Spandita Malik is a New York-based artist from India whose work often addresses women’s rights and gendered violence. New York-based artist Elan Cadiz is exhibiting a portrait series titled Scaffold: Equity of Treatment in which she adds scaffolding around the figures in her paintings to symbolize the individual care and support we all need in order to create a new and better world. Rasika Reddy began a practice of painting single hummingbirds—a different species for each day—while quarantining at her home in Summit, New Jersey during the COVID-19 pandemic. One hundred and eight of these birds now fill the Art Center’s main stairwell—each individually rendered in watercolor—creating a “flock” of hope and joy for difficult times.

Curator Mary Birmingham will moderate this artist talk and discussion, including a Q&A session with the audience. The event is free to the public, but registration is required. Your donations help the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey continue to offer engaging exhibitions and programs.
Click here to register.

Virtual Art Therapy for Parents
2021-02-25 19:00 - 20:00 | NJ
These pandemic times have been tough for parents. Take some time for self-care and join this five-week virtual art therapy session and learn to use active art-making and the creative process to reduce stress and anxiety. Each session will be limited to 10 people and will be led by Alison Silver, a board-certified creative arts therapist.
Thursdays, 7–8 PM
February 25–March 25
Click here to register.

Embroidery Workshop with Spandita Malik
2021-02-20 13:00 - 15:00 | NJ
In correlation with her exhibition Spandita Malik: Threads of Identity, currently on view in the Mitzi and Warren Eisenberg Gallery, VACNJ is offering a limited seating, in-person embroidery workshop with the New York-based Artist. Malik, who is originally from India, asks each participant to bring one photograph or image of someone or something they love. This image will then be heat transferred onto fabric during the two-hour workshop. The artist will teach three types of embroidery stitches and participants will come away with a fabric piece of art, adorned with embroidery. There is a $25 fee to participate and, due to safety precautions and restrictions, this workshop is limited to six people.
Click here to register.

DEADLINE: Summer Art Camp Early-Bird Registration
2021-02-15 | NJ
Registration is now open for Summer Art Camp at the Art Center. Register by February 15 to take advantage of our early-bird pricing! Click here for more information and to sign up now.
