The arts programs at TMI play a critical role in the development of the whole child. Through technical visual development and critical thinking skills we foster the students' own ideas and self-expression. Campers are deeply involved in the creative process by working out problems using a variety of  media. Part of this effort is to offer excellent summer art camps and programs to the community.

Unlike other art camps, our campers get the benefit of being served a nutritious lunch, swim time, and use of other facilities on campus.  We strive to nurture their inner artist and beg it to come out to play. This is an environment where your camper can practice being expressive and go hog wild. So having fun is one of our primary goals!

For general information on all our summer programs please click here.

SESSION 1
June 15 - 18 (4-day session, no camp on Friday the 19th) 

Registration: $295

8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

• Museum explorers, meet the Masters!
  Grades: 1st - 3rd
  Who says fine art can't be messy fun? Designed for our littlest creators, this camp turns art history into a hands-on playground where kids can splash like Pollock, swirl like Van Gogh, and draw like Picasso! We focus on the joy of the process rather than perfection, giving children the freedom to play with paint and discover their own inner genius while learning about the world's most famous artists. 

Artwork Samples

• Under the sea explorers
  Grades: 1st - 3rd
  Get ready to make a splash in this hands-on aquatic adventure! In this camp, our youngest artists will dive deep into the blue to create their very own underwater world. Our camp specialist will guide little explorers as they get their hands messy with air-dry clay to sculpt realistic starfish, sea shells, and bumpy coral reefs. We’ll also experiment with flowy watercolor techniques to create shimmering, wave-like paintings that look just like the moving ocean. From building 3D sea creatures to painting the colors of the coast, it’s the perfect camp for kids who love the beach and getting creative with cool textures!

Artwork Samples

• Botanical Masters: petals & pigments
  Grades: 5th - 8th
  Level up your art by diving deep into the delicate details of the natural world! In this studio-based camp, we move beyond basic painting to study the amazing anatomy of flowers, leaves, and fungi. We’ll master professional techniques like wet-on-dry layering for crisp edges and precision glazing to create lifelike depth. Whether you're painting the intricate veins of a leaf or the soft glow of a petal, you’ll learn how to mix colors and build textures that make your botanical art look like it’s growing right off the page!

Artwork Samples

• Zoo-tography: safari expedition
  Grades: 5th - 8th
  It’s a jungle out there! In this creative expedition, campers learn the basics of photography by using realistic animal figurines to stage their own wild nature documentaries. We’ll teach them how to photograph their toy tigers and elephants up-close to make them look larger than life. Using these photos as inspiration, they will explore framing, focus, and lighting. Campers will return home with professional prints of their creations.

Artwork Samples

12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

• The bead boutique: wearable art
  Grades: 3rd - 5th
  Design it, make it, wear it! In this fun and trendy camp, you become the jewelry designer. We’ll use a huge mix of colorful beads and cool materials to create your own custom necklaces, phone charms, and keychains. You’ll even learn how to make your own special charms from clay! It’s the perfect place to explore your style and create professional-looking accessories that you can wear or share with friends. Every camper will go home with a whole collection of handmade treasures!

Artwork Samples

• The clay Studio: sculpt & create
  Grades: 3rd - 5th
  Get ready to squish, shape, and bring your imagination to life! In this "variety-pack" studio, we aren’t sticking to just one thing, we’re exploring everything clay can do. Each day features a new project, from crafting tiny realistic snacks, to sculpting your own favorite animals and "desk buddy" creatures. We’ll even design boutique-style jewelry plates and patterned trinket dishes to hold your treasures. Campers will learn all the best tricks for smoothing, texturing, and painting air-dry clay to make every project look professional. If you can imagine it, you can sculpt it!

Artwork Samples

• Watercolor wanderlust: collector’s edition
  Grades: 3rd - 5th
  Grab your brushes and get ready for an art adventure that moves! Watercolor Wanderlust gives you the best of both worlds: the inspiration of the great outdoors and the focus of the art studio. We’ll start by heading into the fresh air to explore and collect natural treasures like unique leaves, colorful petals, and interesting stones to use as our inspiration.
  
  

Once back inside the studio, we’ll use our foraged finds as "nature’s models" to study real light, shifting shadows, and vibrant botanical colors. Campers will learn how to use professional watercolor washes and fluid brushstrokes to turn their outdoor discoveries into beautiful, detailed masterpieces. It’s the perfect camp for artists who love to explore the wild and then bring that magic to life on paper!

SESSION 2

June 22 - 26

Registration: $295

8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

• Art passport: global explorers!
  Grades: 1st - 3rd
  Pack your imaginary bags! We’re going on a global art tour! Each day, our tiny travelers will "land" in a new country, exploring its culture through bright colors, fun patterns, and amazing traditions. We’ll head to Africa to design bold, textured masks, travel to Japan to paint delicate cherry blossom masterpieces, and stop in Mexico to create vibrant "papel picado" and colorful paper art. Campers will discover that art is a universal language, filling their "passports" with colorful creations from every corner of the globe!
  Artwork Samples
  
  

• The bug’s eye view
  Grades: 1st - 3rd
  Shrink down to the size of a ladybug and explore the secret world right beneath your feet! In this high-energy camp, our little artists will become nature detectives, discovering the magic of the garden. We’ll use vibrant watercolors to paint giant, colorful butterfly wings and get our hands busy sculpting clay to create our very own "pet" snails and beetles. From stamping with real leaves to building tiny "fairy gardens" or bug hotels, campers will explore the textures and colors of the great outdoors. It’s a messy, marvelous adventure perfect for kids who love to explore, build, and create!
  Artwork Samples
  
  

• Paper explosion: the art of making
  Grades: 5th - 8th
  Are you ready for the most colorful, crafty, and hands-on week ever? At Paper Explosion, we discover that paper is magic, art, and pure fun! Campers will watch paper transform into fabulous designs as they master origami folds, create vibrant paper flowers, and explore the intricate world of paper quilling.
  Throughout the week, we’ll decorate custom decoupage boxes and frames, use stamps to design unique patterns, and even build hand-bound books. It’s a week of activating imaginations and keeping busy hands happy, ending with a collection of beautiful, handmade treasures to take home!
  Artwork Samples
  
  

• The Jurassic world expedition
  Grades: 5th - 8th
  Roar into the past and capture the giants of the Jurassic! In this prehistoric photography adventure, campers will travel back in time to stage epic action shots using realistic dinosaur figurines and cool scenery. We’ll show you how to get low to the ground and use clever camera tricks to make a tiny T-Rex look as tall as a skyscraper! As we explore the basics of photography—like lighting, focus, and framing—you’ll learn how to turn a simple toy into a cinematic movie scene. You’ll be the director of your own dino-documentary, and best of all, every explorer goes home with professionally printed photos of their best prehistoric captures!
  Artwork Samples
  
  12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
  
  

• Landscape travelers
  Grades: 3rd - 5th
  Pack your brushes and get ready to travel the world without ever leaving the studio! In this high-energy acrylic painting camp, we’re heading on a global art safari. We’ll use vibrant paints to capture the "wow" factor of nature; from glowing tropical sunsets and misty mountain peaks to hidden underwater reefs. You’ll learn how to mix the perfect colors, use "secret" brush tricks to paint trees and clouds, and master the art of making your canvas look three-dimensional. It’s a color-filled adventure for any artist who loves big views and even bigger brushstrokes!
  
  

• The warhol workshop: Pop Art icons
  Grades: 3rd - 5th
  Get ready to turn everyday life into a masterpiece! Inspired by the legendary Andy Warhol, this camp is all about big colors, bold lines, and "loud" art. We’ll explore the world of Pop Art by painting vibrant soup cans, giant candy bars, and colorful portraits just like the pros. Campers will learn Warhol’s "repetition" trick to create multi-colored patterns and use acrylic paints to make their favorite objects pop off the canvas. It’s a high-energy, stylish studio where we prove that anything, from a banana to a soda bottle, can be a work of art!
  Artwork Samples
  
  

• The paper boutique
  Grades: 3rd - 5th
  Step into the studio and discover the magic of paper! At The Paper Boutique, we focus on turning paper into fabulous designs and stylish decor. Campers will keep their hands busy with decoupage projects, transforming ordinary boxes and frames into one-of-a-kind treasures. We’ll explore custom stamping, create delicate quilled artwork, and design personalized bookmarks and thank-you notes. It’s the perfect camp for young designers who love to decorate, detail, and create beautiful art to display or share!
  Artwork Samples