This class is perfect for students eager to explore visual arts across a variety of mediums. Over the course of the semester, students will work with Art Camp 504 teaching artists to develop skills in illustration, drawing fundamentals, watercolor techniques, mixed media collage, sculpture, and more. Projects include costume pieces, clay figurines and minatures, textured prints and more. Our goal is to nurture a love of art and creativity in our youngest artists! With a small group format, this class allows for individual attention and flexibility—projects are often guided by student interests and feedback to ensure an engaging and personalized experience.

This class is designed for young artists that want to explore and build their technical drawing skills. The curriculum explores fine art techniques such as line work, perspective, shading, and composition. Students will develop their observational skills and artistic vocabulary, from line and form to understanding light, shadow and color theory. We explore a variety of mediums including graphite, charcoal, oil pastels, watercolor paint and ink. With a focus on fostering creativity and confidence, this class provides a supportive environment where each child can discover their unique artistic voice and cultivate a lifelong passion for drawing. 

MEET THE TEACHER:

Ray Fontaine (she/her) is a visual artist and designer who helps young creatives build confidence and curiosity through drawing, illustration, and mixed media art. With a background in storytelling and design, her teaching approach encourages playful experimentation, close observation, and personal expression. Ray’s classes introduce foundational techniques while making space for each student’s imagination to lead the way—blending creative skill-building with opportunities to connect art to their everyday world. Through engaging projects and accessible materials, she helps kids develop a strong visual voice and a lasting love for making. Ray runs a local branding agency called Bywater Branding Services, studied Industrial Design at Pratt Institute, and previously taught Visual Communications as an adjunct professor at the Tulane School of Design.

This class is perfect for students eager to explore visual arts across a variety of mediums. Over the course of the semester, students will work with Art Camp 504 teaching artists to develop skills in illustration, drawing fundamentals, watercolor techniques, mixed media collage, sculpture, and more. Projects include costume pieces, clay figurines and minatures, textured prints and more. Our goal is to nurture a love of art and creativity in our youngest artists! With a small group format, this class allows for individual attention and flexibility—projects are often guided by student interests and feedback to ensure an engaging and personalized experience.

MEET THE TEACHER:

Harley Holiday (they/them) is a multimedia artist who grew up in Bolinas, CA, and has lived in New Orleans for the past five years. Their artistic practice is primarily rooted in ceramics and illustration. They were a studio member at the London Clayworks from 2021 to 2024. Holiday’s paintings, drawings and sculptures have been exhibited locally in two different shows, Tandem at the Front Gallery in 2023 and Queer Comfort at Staple Goods in 2024. They have led several workshops in wheel throwing and handbuilding for youth and adults throughout the city. Garnering inspiration from their work as a farmer and environmental educator, Holiday’s work explores the human/land interface; the interconnections between people, place, and the more-than-human beings they coexist with.

This class is designed for students eager to explore visual arts across a variety of mediums. Over the course of the semester, students will work with Art Camp 504 teaching artists to develop skills in illustration, drawing fundamentals, watercolor techniques, mixed media collage, sculpture, and more. Projects include costume pieces, clay figurines and minatures, textured prints and more. Our goal is to nurture a love of art and creativity in our youngest artists! With a small group format, this class allows for individual attention and flexibility—projects are often guided by student interests and feedback to ensure an engaging and personalized experience.

MEET THE INSTRUCTOR:

Sari Jordan (they/them) is an independent artist and musician based in New Orleans, originally from New Jersey. As the Winter Artist in Residence at the Louisiana Children’s Museum (2024), Sari facilitated hands on, experiential programming with children of all ages and their caregivers. Sari’s artistic process and vision is one of whimsy, flexibility, play, and introspection. Sari has always felt at home making art with children, drawn to their natural curiosity, daring, and emotional expression. Sari brings 7 years of experience in early childhood arts education and a lifelong love of visual art and the creative process. In the visual arts world, they are especially inspired by drawing, painting, and collage. Sari is also a full time working artist performing original music in New Orleans and beyond. 

Learn more about our programs at www.ArtCamp504.org

In this studio class, young artists will build skills in drawing and painting while exploring a wide range of materials, including pencil, graphite, charcoal, oil pastel, watercolor, and acrylic paint. Each session begins with a focused technique lesson—such as color theory, shading, composition, perspective, figure drawing, or portraiture—followed by time for students to apply what they’ve learned to their own creative projects. Students will develop confidence in their artistic voice through guided instruction, one-on-one support, and a nurturing peer community. Regular critique sessions help students learn how to talk about their work and give thoughtful feedback to others. The class culminates in a public gallery show, where students will present their final pieces inside our magical Enchanted Forest house float!

MEET THE INSTRUCTOR:

KENNEDY SARRAZIN (she/her) is a visual artist who has been painting and drawing since she was able to hold a brush in her hand. Growing up in New Orleans, Louisiana, she is constantly inspired by the city’s food, culture, and originality, bringing her favorite hometown elements to life through paint and sparkling embellishments. Kennedy attended Saint Mary’s Dominican High School and later graduated with her Bachelor of Arts from Spring Hill College (Mobile, AL). She went on to earn her Master of Arts in Museum Studies from Southern University at New Orleans. Now actively curating, preserving, and archiving in the Greater New Orleans area, Kennedy has brought multiple exhibitions to life. Her curatorial and preservation work also extends into her role at Ashé Cultural Arts Center, where she helped launch the organization’s first digitization lab. Inspired by the power of visual storytelling, she dreams of opening her own gallery and curating museum experiences around the world.