EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — As summer camps for schoolchildren across the Borderland get underway, one El Paso program is blending art, aviation and history by introducing kids to the work of renowned local artist Tom Lea.
“We are doing an art maker camp today,” an instructor told students as the session began. The camp offers “introduction to Tom Lea and the kind of art that he did,” using hands-on lessons that guide children through drawing and painting while learning about the subjects Lea captured in his work.
During the camp, students studied airplanes up close and practiced sketching them, starting with the basics. “What’s the main thing we need first?” an instructor asked. “The body,” students responded.
The activities went beyond drawing. “Today we’re doing a camp where we actually look at the airplanes and draw the airplanes and they’re learning a lot of cool stuff like lying a drone, how to make a rocket and fly it,” an instructor said. Students also took part in an air-traffic-style exercise. “They’re doing an activity of air control,” the instructor said, directing one student: “Blue plane, move to a little bit to the left.”
The camp also ties the art lessons to history, including World War II.
El Paso summer camp introduces kids to Tom Lea art and WWII aircraft history
Instructors encouraged students to think about shapes and structure as they drew. “Which kind of shape?” one asked. “A cylinder,” a student answered, prompting the instructor to respond, “Oh, you guys are very technical here. I love it.”
Organizers said the camp’s broader purpose is to get children creating art away from screens. “The goal of the camp is to try to introduce children to art and painting,” an instructor said. “Now that the kids are all about the iPad and everything, it’s nice to see them using traditional methods.”
“And I think it’s very important because you don’t want them to just be on technology all the time,” the instructor added. “You want them to be in nature. You want them to enjoy all the traditional stuff that we grew up with.”
The camp also aims to connect children with a hometown artist whose work remains closely tied to El Paso. “Tom Lea is a perfect example of an artist who captures the moments of real life,” an instructor said. “So it’s really cool to see how he captured the entire world really around him.”
“Certainly it’s an introduction to Tom Lea and the kind of art that he did as an inspiration for themselves,” the instructor said, noting that “Tom Lea was born and raised here in El Paso and did most of his work here in El Paso.”