Envision U 2008 will be held July 27 – August 2, 2008. Envision U is open to high school students currently enrolled in ninth, 10th or 11th grades. The application deadline for students to apply for this summer's camp has passed. Acceptance letters were mailed May 1.
Click here for specific information about this year’s camp.
What is Envision U?
Envision U is an art camp and much more…
“Before I came to this camp I had a passion for painting but I couldn’t freely express it, which made my painting more mechanical. But as I developed and went on that passion began to flow as if it were water flowing through my brush to the canvas. Now, every time I paint I feel a little piece of me has been put in.”
A former Envision U student
“I can’t even express how much Envision U has changed me, helped me, and how much those seven days meant. It is something that will always stay with me forever.”
A former Envision U student
Envision U is designed to be a creative camp experience.
During Envision U the goal is for each student to experience and reflect on each of these five common art disciplines: visual art, literary art, musical art, dance and theater.
Students select three courses to take during the week, one at the intensive level and the other two at the exploratory level.
Students are in intensive level classes for a significant amount of time during the week. The goal of this level of class is: 1) for students to have an intense learning experience and come away with a better understanding of the medium; 2) for students to have an intense creative experience and come away with an increased ability to communicate both emotionally and technically through the medium. Exploratory level classes are much shorter classes designed just to introduce students to new and different art mediums and give them a chance to experiment with creating in a variety of art forms.
Students also participate in a required course called Life Pieces and a variety of other activities designed to expose them to different aspects of creativity, to help them examine the relationship of art and creativity to real life, and to apply their creativity to different parts of their lives.
Specific courses that have been offered at Envision U include:
- If All the World’s a Stage, We Need More Playwrights! (play writing and performing)
- Going Graphic (narrative art)
- C3 – Connecting to your Creative Center (abstract expressionism and acrylic painting)
- Take a Shot (digital and cyanotype photography)
- Active Paintings (pantomime and performance art)
- DIY Rock Band T-Shirts (serigraphs and printmaking)
- From Shower to Stage – A Vocal Tune-Up (vocal music)
- Glass Arts
- Creative Writing
- Mixed Media/Experimental Art
Envision U is designed to be a complete experience.
Students can expect 15-hour days jam-packed with creative activities. A tentative schedule for a typical camp day is as follows:
8:15-8:30 Morning Circle
8:30-9:00 Breakfast
9:15-10:45 Intensive Level Class
11:00-12:15 Exploratory I Class
12:15-12:45 Lunch
12:45-2:45 Free Time
2:45-3:45 Life Pieces
3:45-4:00 Break
4:00-5:00 Life Pieces
5:00-5:15 Break
5:15-6:30 Exploratory II Class
6:30-7:15 Dinner
7:15-8:45 Intensive Level Class
8:45-9:00 Evening Circle
9:00-11:00 Free Time at Meadows
Envision U is designed to be a fun experience.
Students are housed in very comfortable, double-occupancy hotel rooms at the Rockefeller Institute, Lodge and Conference Center and served three full meals as well as snacks each day. Between creative activities, they have access to fishing, horseshoes, indoor basketball and tennis courts, paddle boats, volleyball, hiking, biking, and the terrific scenery that abounds on Petit Jean Mountain. Opportunities to perform and participate in things like an “Amazing Artists Race”, a talent show and an “Iron Artist Competition” all make this a very full week!
Envision U started in 2007 and is planned to be offered annually as long as funding is available. For more information about Envision U, please e-mail Julie Hall or call (501) 727-6220.
