“What does WriCampia mean to you?” instructor Hannah M. asked campers at the Visual Arts Track.
This summer, Arts Track has a brand new activity—the camp mural. According to Hannah, the lead on the project, the purpose of the mural is to honor and memorialize aspects of WriCampia that campers love. When Hannah asked campers about the most important parts of camp in their eyes, they received responses as varied as “friends, laughter, trying new things, reading, writing, [and] literature.” These responses were combined into a couple of individual designs, which were voted on. The final result was a landscape painting of the waterfront with a unique twist: the painters got to include original or literary character(s) of their choice. This allowed some lower campers—whose original vision had been altered to fit the mural—to contribute other more personal ideas in full to the overall design. “The best mural prompts are ones that everyone can interpret as they wish,” Hannah added.
The idea for the mural was first suggested at WriCampia by Ian W., a 16-year-old senior camper. Ian was originally supposed to help design a mural for Writopia in Manhattan, but it was later decided that the mural would be done here at WriCampia. The mural was painted on a sheet of canvas paper instead of a wall. At camp this summer, it was sketched with a simple graphite pencil, and then painted over with matte medium for a smooth base. The final layer was then painted with acrylics.
Campers from all four age groups helped with the mural; each individual camper focused on one specific section of the mural, promoting both individuality and collaboration. While it can be challenging to work across large age gaps, the makers of the mural have done a wonderful job working with each other to create an original, beautiful piece of art. Hannah noted that expressions of campers’ individuality are apparent throughout the mural, and that campers with varied skills can all “use their skill sets to the advantage of the mural.” The campers circulate considerable encouragement as they paint. “Ooooh, that looks niceee,” Senior Camper Rafi, 15, said after Ian painted a particularly straight line.
When I went to see the mural on Tuesday, I noticed very well-organized and vivid colors. The campers working on the mural were so focused that they almost didn’t register my presence at all. But when I asked if I could contribute something, somebody handed me a paintbrush, and I was happy for the chance to add a few blades of grass to the beautiful waterfront scene.
