Five days of messy creativity was the agenda for the series of week-long art camps held this summer at Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art in the Botanical Gardens. The camps were geared for a range of age groups, but the week Young Observer visited, students seven to nine years of age were using the current exhibition We Are Sailing as inspiration for their own mixed media work.

The projects undertaken during the week, under the guidance of head teacher Tiffany Paynter, incorporated drawing, painting and a variety of techniques and media, including recycled and natural materials. Among the guest speakers were The Royal Gazette's Education Services Co-ordinator, Jennifer Hind, and Barbara Dillas, a local artist. On Monday students created floating catamarans, Thursday bird sculptures inspired by the photographs of Dr. Reg Grundy; Friday featured beach-themed creations in a sand tray, and always there were trips into the museum to explore the artwork that captures the beauty, spirit and cultural history of Bermuda.

But this was not a camp trapping young people indoors all day – there was plenty of opportunity to enjoy the sunshine in the beautiful gardens surrounding the museum. The daily schedule allowed for lunch outdoors and a wet-n-wild afternoon of paint and sprinkler fun.

Enlisting the help of the young people themselves to report on the week's activities, Young Observer received the following feedback, transcribed verbatim:

"In Mastworks we draw, paint, collect things & mold. We are making pictures inspired by Malcolm Morley which was mixed media. We have also Made flags that represent our Name & last Name" – Olivia Adderley Age 9 ½

"I think the art at Masterworks is amazing. I think a lot more kids should come. I liked getting coverd with shaving cream and I also like playing in the sprinklers. The abstract boats we did with mrs. Dillas was fun too. Master works is FUN!" – Imogen Peckett, Age 8

"My favorite thing to do at Masterworks camp is to paint with acrylics. A guest speaker named Miss Dillas, came to show us how to do abstract art" – Elan Francis

"What I like about Masterworks art camp is all the art and friends, the museum and wet n' wild day. Wet n' wild day is when we wear our swim suits, go into the sprinklers and play games, use shaving cream and stuff like that and thats why I like master works art camp" – Makayla Latham, Age 8

"My favorite thing to do was abstract Art with mrs. Dillas" – Charlotte Peckett, Age 6

"At Masterworks we did drawing. We also did abstract painting of sailboats with Mrs. Dillas" – Conor Hay, Age 7

"My favrote part about Masterworks is the museum is the art work because it looks very realistic they also look very nice the picture that I like the most is the ship because the ship is by Malcolm Morley" – Briana Medeiros, Age 8

"In Masterworks we do lots of art and we sometimes even use different mediums for a picture. And my favourate thing to do at Masterworks is paint I love painting because we get messy" – Giovanni Hollis, Age 7

"My favourtie things at masterworks is doing drwing and painting it is faboulus and fun I love to work hard and have fun at the same time. I just finshed my mix media by malcom morley this camp is the best" – Rylee Gardner, Age 8

"1. Masterworks is so fun I enjoy the art.

2. I learned what mixed media really was.

3. The teachers are the best to learn from.

I think more kids that love art should come" – Bebe Steel, Age 8

"My favorite thing to do at masterworks is abstract art. I also like to use differnt colors for my art. Art is my favorite thing to do. Also I like to draw animals and people" – Nina Greenhill, Age 8

"My faviorate thing to do in masterworks is drawing. I like drawing because we got to free drawing on front of our sctchpads" – Miguel Perry, Age 8

"Mrs. Dillas an Abstract painter came And tought us how to do abstract boats" – Sophia Adderley, Age 7

"I liked the sprinklers as well as the Abstract boat paintings I did at Masterworks" – Ryan Peter Topple, Age 7

"My favorite thing was the drawing and painting" – Cara Mallon, Age 7

"My favorite thing to do in materworks is painting" – Ashley Soares, Age 7