Upcoming Events at a Glance

SPRING BREAK CAMP:

Mar 24th – Mar 28th

Myth Meets Art

The Doodles Academy team invites you to step into a magical world of myth and imagination! In this exciting session, we’ll explore the incredible chimeras from Japanese, Ancient Greek, and Roman traditions—fantastical creatures with unique combinations of traits that spark the imagination. Through a fun and interactive classroom game, you’ll design your very own one-of-a-kind chimera!

But that’s just the beginning! Using printmaking techniques, you’ll learn how to add texture and composition to bring your creature to life and create multiple copies of your design. Then, it’s time to imagine where your chimera lives! You’ll paint a vibrant environment filled with details that tell your creature’s story and mix your own colors to make the scene uniquely yours. This journey into art, culture, and storytelling is full of surprises—don’t miss out!

At Doodles Academy, you will have a camp experience that is tailored to your unique interests. In addition to the main project, you will have plenty of opportunities to work independently and explore your own interests during open-studio time. This could include drawing, building, painting, or a combination of these activities, allowing you to fully express your creativity with the support and guidance of our amazing adult artist helpers!

SUMMER:

Artful Explorers: Maps, Memories, and More

June 23rd-June 27th

The Doodles Academy team invites you on an artistic adventure like no other! In Artful Explorers: Maps, Memories, and More, we’ll uncover the hidden creativity behind mapmaking and learn how maps are more than just directions—they’re stories! Inspired by maps created by artists, we’ll explore how they reflect personal perspectives and transform ordinary spaces into works of art.

You’ll create collaborative maps with unexpected materials, craft hand-shaped maps that represent spaces close to your heart, and even experiment with mapping time itself. As a grand finale, we’ll seal your creativity into a time capsule to preserve it for the future. Get ready to reimagine the world around you and chart your own artistic journey!

At Doodles Academy, you will have a camp experience that is tailored to your unique interests. In addition to the main project, you will have plenty of opportunities to work independently and explore your own interests during open-studio time. This could include drawing, building, painting, or a combination of these activities, allowing you to fully express your creativity with the support and guidance of our amazing adult artist helpers!

Dream Dwellings: Inspired by Nature!

July 7th-July 11th

Join the Doodles Academy team for an unforgettable adventure into the wild world of animal adaptations! From the humps of camels, to beavers’ brilliant lodges, to penguins’ chilly survival tricks, you’ll discover the incredible ways animals adapt to extreme circumstances in nature. Then, inspired by these clever creatures, you’ll design and build your own dream home—inspired by these animals to be perfectly suited to any environment you can imagine!

Will your creation be a cozy retreat in the tundra, a treehouse paradise, or a high-tech hideaway in the desert? With art, nature, and your imagination as your tools, the possibilities are endless. Dive into this hands-on, creative exploration and uncover the magic of nature’s designs!

At Doodles Academy, you will have a camp experience that is tailored to your unique interests. In addition to the main project, you will have plenty of opportunities to work independently and explore your own interests during open-studio time. This could include drawing, building, painting, or a combination of these activities, allowing you to fully express your creativity with the support and guidance of our amazing adult artist helpers!

Magnified Masterpieces

July 14th-July 18th

The Doodles Academy team invites you to uncover the artistic magic of Georgia O’Keeffe in this one-of-a-kind camp! Dive into her bold, close-up approach to framing and composition as you study her unique style and how it transforms everyday objects into captivating works of art. Inspired by her techniques, you’ll draw personal objects, mastering skills in proportion and enlargement to create stunning compositions of your own.

But that’s not all! Using microscopes and zooming tools, you’ll explore how O’Keeffe’s focus on tiny details mirrors scientific observation. This hands-on experience bridges art and science, showing you how to see the world in a whole new way. Let’s zoom in and create something extraordinary together!

At Doodles Academy, you will have a camp experience that is tailored to your unique interests. In addition to the main project, you will have plenty of opportunities to work independently and explore your own interests during open-studio time. This could include drawing, building, painting, or a combination of these activities, allowing you to fully express your creativity with the support and guidance of our amazing adult artist helpers!

My Story, Our Story

July 21-July 25th

Join the Doodles Academy team for an unforgettable journey into the stories that make you, you! In this creative and meaningful camp, you’ll explore your personal story, your family’s experiences, and how they connect to the larger tapestry of America. Start by crafting a mini zine that highlights your cultural heritage, traditions, and the values that shape your identity—a special project that’s as unique as you are!

Next, work with your classmates to design a heritage tile that represents who you are. Together, your tiles will form a vibrant collective art piece, celebrating the beautiful diversity and unity in your class. To finish, you’ll create a heartfelt family portrait that captures your family’s traditions, values, and experiences, showing how your story helps build the larger story of America.

At Doodles Academy, you will have a camp experience that is tailored to your unique interests. In addition to the main project, you will have plenty of opportunities to work independently and explore your own interests during open-studio time. This could include drawing, building, painting, or a combination of these activities, allowing you to fully express your creativity with the support and guidance of our amazing adult artist helpers!

Superhero Alter-egos: A Puppet Adventure

July 28th-Aug 1st

The Doodles Academy team invites you to step into the shoes (or capes!) of a superhero—you! In this imaginative adventure, you’ll explore your superpowers, heroic missions, and unique backstory to create a vibrant self-portrait puppet that brings your alter ego to life. Using decorative papers, bold costume designs, and personal details, you’ll design a superhero that’s as one-of-a-kind as you are.

But every hero needs a challenge! You’ll dream up villains, craft thrilling stories, and reflect on what it means to stand up for others and overcome challenges. Get ready to unleash your creativity and discover the superhero inside you!

At Doodles Academy, you will have a camp experience that is tailored to your unique interests. In addition to the main project, you will have plenty of opportunities to work independently and explore your own interests during open-studio time. This could include drawing, building, painting, or a combination of these activities, allowing you to fully express your creativity with the support and guidance of our amazing adult artist helpers!

January-March

Afterschool Art Club with Doodles Academy: The Art Of Persian Miniatures

In this inspiring class, you will join the Doodles Academy team to embark on a journey through the beautiful and intricate world of Persian Miniatures, where art and storytelling blend seamlessly. Persian Miniatures are not just small paintings; they are a grand tradition of detailed and vibrant illustrations that bring texts to life, capturing tales of heroes, mystics, and ancient lore.

• Afterschool classes held at 14 different Ann Arbor Public School

April-May

Afterschool Art Club with Doodles Academy: Artful Animal Selfies

Get ready for a super fun art adventure with the Doodles Academy team! In this class, we’re going to explore how different Indigenous cultures, like the Native Americans in the Pacific Northwest, use animals in their art to represent important ideas. You’ll see how animals are not just animals in these artworks—they symbolize traits and stories, and are even featured on impressive totem poles!

• Afterschool classes held at 14 different Ann Arbor Public School