Discover
Art exploration is an excellent way for children to build self-confidence through discovering and manipulating materials. By focusing on the process and the exploration of materials whether it be paint, toilet paper tubes, clay or fabric, we help kids use their imagination and articulate their ideas. In addition to the discovery of the physical possibilities of materials, we will also explore a wide variety of subjects, from animals and where they live to underwater sea life to great architecture depending on the age of the students.
Respect & Learn
I pride myself in the respect of materials. We use a lot of recycled and repurposed materials along with the traditional art ones. We have recycling bins and only use cloth towels. We believe that children can learn to be respectful to the environment by just living it.
Develop Independence
By providing age appropriate art exploration children will learn and maturate developmentally appropriate skills, whether it be eye-hand coordination or problem solving skills or perspective all the while encouraging their creative thinking.
We believe that artmaking is an essential component of the human experience. Our goal is to nurture and inspire as well as develop independent thinking.
About our Classes
We have classes that are 1 hour long and ones that are an hour and a half. Our family classes for ages 2 and 3 are 1 hour long. Most of our classes you buy a session, but we also do offer some rolling classes that you pay monthly.
The structure of the classes is always the same to create a consistency, a warm-up activity, reading of a story, looking at source material or singing a song (depending on age) and then the main art project.
You are welcome to build a class based on any subject you choose whether it be by medium like ceramics, sculpture or painting or by subject matter, outer space, birds, or gardens. You would need to gather a minimum of 4 students. I do ask that the students are somewhat close in age by a year or so. It's important that the skill level is similar so no one feels left out or insecure about the development.
We also offer workshops each month which are a one time teacher led project.
Samara Caughey
I received my BFA from the School of Art Institute of Chicago and my MFA from USC. I taught art classes for children at the Armory Center for the Arts in Pasadena California for 9 years before opening my own studio for children and families where we focus on teaching techiniques like ceramics, drawing, sculpture, collage, printmaking but all the while allowing children to have their own voice.
My approach to teaching children grows directly out of my fine art practice which consists of sculpture and collage. I have exhibited professionally in solo and group shows in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Minneapolis.
Another influence is my mother who is a child psychologist, specializing in play therapy for young children. She taught me about the developmental stages of childhood and the importance of acknowledging and respecting these stages with nonjudgmental, yet positive interactions.
Kelly Dancer
Kelly was classically trained in fine arts from a young age in San Francisco. She grew to work as a restoration artist for vintage posters in New York and on to open a gallery and art studios in Los Angeles. All the while freelancing as an illustrator. Her artwork has always been playful, humorous and is usually animal themed. Topics that are not unfamiliar to her students.
She is currently working on illustrating and writing for progressive children's books and studying early childhood education.
Shelley Friedman
After earning a B.S. in Film from Boston University, Shelley worked as a TV and film producer all the while also volunteering with EngAGE, a creative non-profit offering arts programs to seniors. At EngAGE, several of her programs were funded by the National Endowment of the Arts and the California Council for the Humanities.
Finding her volunteer work more gratifying than her day job, Shelley followed her heart and transitioned to a position as program director in senior care. There she continued to hone her arts and teaching skills to the point of becoming a teaching artist.
Through her business, Papercuterie, in which she sells her weavings and paper arts, she began teaching paper cut art and fiber art to elementary school-aged children. Passionate about encouraging people of all ages, Shelley finds creative inspiration in all things weird and whimsical.
Val Medina
Val is an artist and educator proudly born and raised in nearby El Sereno.
Val’s background in early childhood education informs her teaching philosophy which is based in play. That art should be fun, collaborative, invite conversation, be expressive and more about the process versus the outcome. Her goal as an educator is always to help children get through limiting beliefs and do things with integrity using art as the vehicle.
Both her own art practice and her teaching is informed by being a lover of nature and experimenting and exploring natural materials in many ways from plant dying to using nature as the subject.
Voted Most Awesome Art Classes 2011
Voted one of Best Art Classes in Los Angeles by CBS 2014
Purple Twig is one of the best places to get creative with kids www.discoverlosangeles.com
Mommynearest creates a guide to best places for kids in Eagle Rock Califonia
This art exploration studio offers classes starting with mommy-and-me up to more experienced artists-to-be. At their popular drop-off classes, kids ages three to nine can learn ceramics, sculpture or painting. Stop by on Saturdays from 10am to 4pm for open studio sessions (the program focuses on a different material each week).
General Policies
- For our family classes a parent or caregiver must be present. All other classes are drop off classes.
- All students must be the applicable age for the registered class. We create classes that are developmentally appropriate in hopes that each child will have a fulfilling experience instead of a frustrating one.
- Students must be potty-trained for all drop-off classes or camps.
- We will not allow your child to wait outside unattended. Please wait outside and we will send your child out to you for pick up.
- Please let us know someone else will be picking up your child.
- Please be on time for pickup of child after classes. We are not staffed for after hours care. A fee of $10 per every ten minutes late will be charged.
- We can not offer make ups for missed classes at this time.
- We do take photographs during some our classes. We use them on our instagram page and for promotional purposes. If you are not comfortable with this please let us know.
- We can not guarantee a spot in the classes or camps until full payment is received
Registration
Our classes can fill up quickly. We do need to recieve payment in order to save the spot. Plea us know if you are unable to attend the first class. Our teachers are great at getting students caught up. At this time we don't offer make ups for missed classes.
Refunds
If for some reason the class you registered for is not right for you child or something else unexpectedly comes up we will offer a refund for the class before the third session minus the $75 non-refundable deposit for saving your child's spot in the class and the price for sessions attended. We do not offer refunds after the third session of class.
We do not offer refunds for workshops. The fee is to save your spot in the workshop.
Bringing Guests
If you would like or need to bring a sibling or friend to class, please just let me know ahead of time and there will be a $40 fee.
Camp Policies
If you cancel before June 1st, we will refund all but the $75 fee. If you cancel after June 1st we will only give a refund ( minus the $75 fee) if we can fill your spot. All cancellations need to be done by email.
Payment
Tuition for camps is due at the time of registration in order to save your child's spot. Our camps do fill up so please pay when registering. We do understand that plans change. If you have to cancel we will refund all but a $75 non-refundable deposit if canceled by June 1st for each week of our summer camps. If you cancel after June 1st, we will refund you all but a $75 deposit if we can find someone to fill your spot. All changes and cancellations for camp need to be made by email. For Thanksgiving holiday daily camps we refund all but a $25 registration fee if we can fill your spot. For Winter and Spring Break camps cancellation must be made 2 weeks prior to camp for refund minus $75 deposit. No refunds will be given the day camp begins. We do not prorate days for our week long camps.
Release of Liability
As the legal parent or guardian, you release and hold harmless, Purple Twig, its owners and operators from any and all liability, claims, demands, and causes of action whatsoever, arising out of or related to any loss, damage, or injury, including death, that may be sustained by the participant and/or the undersigned, while in or upon the premises or any premises under the control and supervision of Purple Twig owners and operators or in route to or from any of said premises. That said we do take your child's safety seriously.
Withdrawal
If you need to cancel or change your week of camp please do so by email. No refunds of camp tuition will be given after June 1st unless your child's space can be filled by a student on the waitlist. We refund all but a $75 non-refundable deposit for summer. For Spring and Winter camps withdrawl must be made at least two weeks prior to camp date in order to recieve refund. We will refund all but a $75 non-refundable deposit if we can fill your spot.
Applicable Age
All students must be the applicable age for the registered camps. Curriculum created are developmentally appropriate in hopes that each child will have a fulfilling experience instead of a frustrating one.
Drop off / Pick up
All campers will be signed in by parent or guardian. Please notify us if there is a change in the adult that will be picking them up. Please be on time for pickup of child after classes. Purple Twig is not staffed for after hours care. After 3:00 pm families will be charged $10 for each additional 10 minutes.
Photographs
We do take photographs throughout the weeks. We use them on our Instagram page and for promotional purposes. If you are not comfortable with this, we completely understand. Please just let us know.
Thank you for enrolling your child in Purple Twig Camp! Please contact us with any questions.