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School of Art & Design

The Curtis C. Nash Summer Art School for Children

The Curtis C. Nash Summer Art School for Children is a series of art workshops created by members of the Art Education Program at UIUC and open for participation to children from Champaign and Vermillion counties. Modeled after the famous Saturday Art School, these unique summer enrichment opportunities cater to children who are interested in making and learning through the arts alongside experienced artists and teachers. The courses are offered at no cost to the participants through the generous support of the Curtis C. Nash Children’s Creativity Fund, the School of Art + Design, The Nash Everyday Arts Lab Fund, and the Art Education Program at UIUC.  

Curtis C. Nash Summer Registration Poster with QR Codes
a paper mosaic project with green yellow and red
Students working on paper mosaic project
Students working on their mosaic designs
Student grouting their mosaic tile project
Student mosaic tile
An adult and two students looking at the student artwork on display.
Students setting objects from nature on sun print paper
Students processes their sunprints in water
Found object assemblage
Found object Assemblage
Framed portrait drawing with collage frame
Disck Mobiles hanging in a window
Graphic Design Student Work on Display Wall
Cat Zine made by a student
Student creating a sidewalk drawing
Student drawing a blue face on the sidewalk
a paper mosaic project with green yellow and red
Students working on paper mosaic project
Students working on their mosaic designs
Student grouting their mosaic tile project
Student mosaic tile
An adult and two students looking at the student artwork on display.
Students setting objects from nature on sun print paper
Students processes their sunprints in water
Found object assemblage
Found object Assemblage
Framed portrait drawing with collage frame
Disck Mobiles hanging in a window
Graphic Design Student Work on Display Wall
Cat Zine made by a student
Student creating a sidewalk drawing
Student drawing a blue face on the sidewalk

2023 Nash Summer Art School

This work was created by students enrolled in the 2023 Nash Summer Art Program. Students enrolled in three programs: 1-3 grade explored nature, 4-6 explored mosaics, and 7-12 explored Graphic Narratives

a handmade colorful sign of the NASH summer school
a child's hands makes a collage
children seen making artworks
children and their teacher making artworks
a child's handmade book called
a child's drawing of a superhero in green and white
a teacher holding a box that says
a child cutting a mask out of fabric
a teacher helping a child glue tassels to their mask
a teacher helping a student put on a mask they made
a teacher helping a student make a button
a teacher showing the class another students drawings
a student's drawing of a mask in blue and red
a child's drawing that says
a child's book with collage elements and drawings
a child's hand painting a steamboat
two children draw together on a large piece of paper
multiple children draw on the same paper simultaneously
a handmade colorful sign of the NASH summer school
a child's hands makes a collage
children seen making artworks
children and their teacher making artworks
a child's handmade book called
a child's drawing of a superhero in green and white
a teacher holding a box that says
a child cutting a mask out of fabric
a teacher helping a child glue tassels to their mask
a teacher helping a student put on a mask they made
a teacher helping a student make a button
a teacher showing the class another students drawings
a student's drawing of a mask in blue and red
a child's drawing that says
a child's book with collage elements and drawings
a child's hand painting a steamboat
two children draw together on a large piece of paper
multiple children draw on the same paper simultaneously

2022 Nash Summer Art School

A collection of images from the inaugural Nash Summer Art School for Children, SUMMER 2022

children watching a teacher doing a painting demo at the Japan House

Children from the Nash Summer Art School watch an instructor from the Japan House as they do a plein air painting demonstration.

Children from the Nash Summer Art School watch an instructor from the Japan House as they do a plein air painting demonstration.

teacher guiding a student through zoom on how to make a superhero mask

In the first year of the Nash Summer Art School we held both virtual and in-person session. Here you see one of our students making their super hero mask.

In the first year of the Nash Summer Art School we held both virtual and in-person session. Here you see one of our students making their super hero mask.

Child painting from nature with a shadow of a tree cast over them

A student from the Nash Summer Art School works on his watercolor painting at the Japan House.

A student from the Nash Summer Art School works on his watercolor painting at the Japan House.

group of children and their teacher look over a bridge into a pond on a clear day

Students from the Nash Summer Art School overlook a bridge near the Japan House on campus.

Students from the Nash Summer Art School overlook a bridge near the Japan House on campus.

An art teacher shows their students how to make paper crowns and decorate them with fallen leaves and branches

Students from the Nash Summer Art School work on their paper and nature crowns.

Students from the Nash Summer Art School work on their paper and nature crowns.

using pinecones, a child creates a circle sculpture on the grass. their legs are in the picture.

Student-work from the Nash Summer Art School.

Student-work from the Nash Summer Art School.

children trace each other's bodies with chalk on a large black piece of paper, outdoors

Students making tracings of themselves during the Nash Summer Art School.

Students making tracings of themselves during the Nash Summer Art School.

children and their teacher make cyanotypes on blue paper outdoors, they use leaves to make the imprints

Students making cyanotypes during the Nash Summer Art School.

Students making cyanotypes during the Nash Summer Art School.

a group of young students paints with watercolors on the bank of a pond, shadows are cast from the trees over the kids

Students working on their watercolors by the pond during the Nash Summer Art School.

Students working on their watercolors by the pond during the Nash Summer Art School.

The informational poster for the 2021 Nash Summer Art School for Children

The inaugural recruitment poster for the 2021 Nash Summer Art School for Children.

The inaugural recruitment poster for the 2021 Nash Summer Art School for Children.

children watching a teacher doing a painting demo at the Japan House

Children from the Nash Summer Art School watch an instructor from the Japan House as they do a plein air painting demonstration.

Children from the Nash Summer Art School watch an instructor from the Japan House as they do a plein air painting demonstration.

teacher guiding a student through zoom on how to make a superhero mask

In the first year of the Nash Summer Art School we held both virtual and in-person session. Here you see one of our students making their super hero mask.

In the first year of the Nash Summer Art School we held both virtual and in-person session. Here you see one of our students making their super hero mask.

Child painting from nature with a shadow of a tree cast over them

A student from the Nash Summer Art School works on his watercolor painting at the Japan House.

A student from the Nash Summer Art School works on his watercolor painting at the Japan House.

group of children and their teacher look over a bridge into a pond on a clear day

Students from the Nash Summer Art School overlook a bridge near the Japan House on campus.

Students from the Nash Summer Art School overlook a bridge near the Japan House on campus.

An art teacher shows their students how to make paper crowns and decorate them with fallen leaves and branches

Students from the Nash Summer Art School work on their paper and nature crowns.

Students from the Nash Summer Art School work on their paper and nature crowns.

using pinecones, a child creates a circle sculpture on the grass. their legs are in the picture.

Student-work from the Nash Summer Art School.

Student-work from the Nash Summer Art School.

children trace each other's bodies with chalk on a large black piece of paper, outdoors

Students making tracings of themselves during the Nash Summer Art School.

Students making tracings of themselves during the Nash Summer Art School.

children and their teacher make cyanotypes on blue paper outdoors, they use leaves to make the imprints

Students making cyanotypes during the Nash Summer Art School.

Students making cyanotypes during the Nash Summer Art School.

a group of young students paints with watercolors on the bank of a pond, shadows are cast from the trees over the kids

Students working on their watercolors by the pond during the Nash Summer Art School.

Students working on their watercolors by the pond during the Nash Summer Art School.

The informational poster for the 2021 Nash Summer Art School for Children

The inaugural recruitment poster for the 2021 Nash Summer Art School for Children.

The inaugural recruitment poster for the 2021 Nash Summer Art School for Children.

2021 Nash Summer Art School

A collection of images from the inaugural Nash Summer Art School for Children, SUMMER 2021

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