IMPORTANT – CHANGE OF CAMP LOCATION for A Start with the Arts and Passport to China
NEW LOCATION: Sunny Hollow Montessori 636 Mississippi River Blvd S, St Paul, MN 55116
More info: Our highest priority is always ensuring a safe, comfortable, and top-tier experience for our campers. Due to ongoing facility renovations at Mount Zion that will not be fully completed in time for our start date, we have made the decision to transition our camps to an alternative location. Given our long-standing relationship with Mount Zion, this was a difficult choice, but they have been incredibly supportive throughout this process as we put the needs of our campers first.
We are grateful that Sunny Hollow Montessori has stepped up to welcome us!
Passport to China through the Arts 2026
From Beijing to the Himalayas
July 6-10: Chinese Holidays & Traditions
July 13-17: “Beautiful Grandness” Ancient Chinese Civilization
Get your passport and pack your bags for an amazing adventure!
Majestic China is a huge country with an ancient civilization and many geographic contrasts. Boasting vast deserts like the Gobi, towering mountains such as Mount Everest, and misty green zones like the Zhangjiajie National Forest, China is home to a diverse array of plants and animals. Join ArtStart Artists as we explore some of the multi-faceted arts and cultural traditions of this country. Walk along the Great Wall, visit the Forbidden City, and celebrate the new year with fireworks and dragon dances.
Summer Arts Camp for preschool, school-age & teens
Registration information
TUITION:
Half day = $275/week (Either morning or afternoon)
Full day = $475/week
A Start With The Arts – Ages 4-5
Half day = $175/WEEK
Camp Create – Ages 13+ Years
Full day = $385
NEW LOCATION
Sunny Hollow Montessori
636 Mississippi River Blvd S.
St Paul, MN 55116
LUNCH & SNACKS
Full day students need to bring a lunch.
Lunch is supervised. A morning and afternoon snack are also encouraged.
AFTER CARE
We do not offer aftercare at this time.
Partial scholarships are available.
DEADLINE :
Friday, June 1, 2026 – but our classes fill very quickly. We support children attending camp with a friend and will place them in the same class where possible. Half day offered both morning and afternoon. Class ratio: 1 teach/15 students. Confirmation letters sent out towards the end of June 2026.
CANCELLATION FEES
May 1- May 31: 50% of fee.
June 1 or later: 100% of fee.
(Forfeited or receive a credit for a different ArtStart program)
Ages 6-12
MEDICINAL ARTS
Mapping Energy Flow
Traditional Chinese medicine views the body as a network of energy channels – known as meridians – through which vital energy (qi) flows. Reflexology is a way to stimulate specific points on the feet and hands to improve the flow of your qi to related organs and body systems. Guided by artist and herbalist Laurie Witzkowski, you will learn some of its basic techniques, then create detailed colorful maps of the magic in our hands and feet.
PUPPETRY
Lion & Dragon Dance Puppets
Long ago, the Chinese performed dragon dances as a way to worship their ancestors and pray for rain, and lion dances to bring good luck. These colorful puppet dances are still celebrated at Chinese New Year and other special occasions such as festivals and weddings. In this class, you’ll get inspired by photos and videos of these magical performances, and then create your own one-person “accordion” puppet of a fantastical lion or dragon with artists Julie and Gustavo Boada.
JEWELRY
Jade: Stone of Heaven
Jade is a hard stone that has been carved for over 7,000 years into Chinese cultural objects. Initially used for ceremonial items, jade jewelry became sought after by royalty and nobles to show their status. Today, jade remains popular, and Chinese people wear it to symbolize wealth and good luck. In this class, you will fashion your own jade jewelry with Jeanette Dickinson to wear or give as a treasured gift to someone you love. Additional $10 material fee.
LANDSCAPE PAINTING
Along the Yangtze
Chinese landscape painting is famous around the world. 
One of the most famous ones, 10,000 Miles along the Yangtze River, was painted on a 53-foot- long hand scroll in the 17th century by artist Wang Hui! From towering mountains to soft rolling hills and rivers, these pictures inspire awe and wonder. Study some of these beautiful works with artist Melodee Strong. Then try your hand at creating some of your own lush landscapes.
CLAY
Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Army: Terracotta Warriors and Horses
Imagine a silent army of thousands, 
buried underground for two thousand years. But these life-size soldiers and their horses are made of clay! Learn about the fierce terracotta fighters that guard the tomb of China’s first Emperor with artist Katja Johnson. Then create your own warrior and horse from clay to guard your room. Additional $10 material fee.
CULTURE & FOLK ARTS
Chinese Traditions & Holidays
China has many colorful celebrations, each with their own vibrant traditions. Join Artist Joseph Lin to learn about time-honored customs such as the exchange of red envelopes full of money for Chinese New Year, the Dragon Boat Festival races, and eating moon cakes in mid-autumn. Along the way, you’ll learn some Chinese phrases and create some paper handcrafts associated with these holidays.
DANCE
Traditional to Modern Chinese Dance 
Discover the elegance of traditional Chinese dances, including the graceful ribbon dance – where long, colorful ribbons flow through the air. Then, blend these classical movements with modern styles to create your own choreography. Taught by veteran dancers and educators Xiaohong Chen and Christopher Yaeger, who have performed with local Chinese troupes for over twenty years.
TEXTILES
Wondrous Wall Hangings
Chinese textile art using block printing is a centuries-old handicraft involving carving intricate designs into woodblocks, which are then inked and pressed onto fabric. These designs frequently feature motifs in nature such as plants, animals and vines, and the process was important for creating rich, decorative textiles for clothing and home decor. Study some stunning examples of this time-honored folk art with artist Tara Fahey. Then create your own elegant fabric designs, using paint and stamps made from reuse materials.
SHADOW PUPPETS
Trickster Tales: Sun Wukong, The Monkey King
Sun Wukong is a mischievous monkey monarch who creates chaos in the heavens. Possessed of gigantic strength, magical powers, and the ability to transform himself into various disguises, the journey of the Monkey King is a terrific tale full of monsters and monks, demons and spells. Create colorful shadow puppets with Kallie Melvin, and then perform your own version of Sun Wukong for your friends and family!
MASKS
Beijing Opera Masks
Beijing opera has been the entertainment of emperors and important officials since the 18th century in China. It combines singing, mime, dance and acrobatics, as well as elaborate face painting known as lianpu. The exaggerated facial expressions and colors signal character traits to the audience, for example, yellow for evil, red for courage, blue for fierceness. Learn about this fascinating tradition with artists Julie and Gustavo Boada, and then create your own dramatic opera mask.
PUPPETRY
Chinese Zodiac Hand Puppets
Once upon a time, the Jade Emperor decided he needed some guards for the gates of heaven. He invited 12 animals to a race. Then he ranked them in the order they arrived at the gates: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. Work with Julie and Gustavo Boada to shape your very own Chinese Zodiac animal hand puppet, then retell the story of the Race to the Heavenly Gate.
PAINTING
Xieyi Style: Chinese Flower & Bird Paintings
Xieyi Chinese painting is characterized by spontaneous “freehand” style and the artist’s spiritual expression. In Chinese culture, many flowers and birds carry specific symbolic meanings, which artists use to convey a virtue. Learn about the meanings of certain Chinese birds and flowers, then create your own Xieyi-inspired paintings with artist Melodee Strong.
CLAY
Peony Dishes & Panda Pots
Chinese clay arts have a history dating back over 10,000 years. Starting in the Neolithic period with basic, coiled pottery, the ceramic arts evolved in China to include the invention of porcelain, which is used today to make beautiful vases. In this exciting class with artist Katja Johnson, create vessels inspired by flowers and animals such as the peony and the panda. Additional $10 material fee. “Beautiful Grandness” Ancient Chinese.
MIXED MEDIA
Magical Cloisonné Creatures
Cloisonné is a Chinese art form where thin metal strips are used to create a design on a metal surface. The resulting compartments are filled with powdered colored glass enamel. This technique, known as jingtailan, is still produced today. Learn about cloisonné art with artist Jeanette Dickinson. Then create a work of art featuring a cloisonné-inspired magical beast, such as the shapeshifting quilin or the fierce winged pixiu.
ARCHITECTURE
Ancient Shrines: Create a Chinese Pagoda
Pagodas are one of the most celebrated forms of Chinese architecture. Going back thousands of years, these temples were first made first from wood, then from brick and stone. Sometimes they served as a monk’s tomb, or housed sacred Buddhist texts or relics. Join artist Laurie Witzkowski to learn about these ancient structures. Then create your own model of a multi-tiered Chinese pagoda with elegant curving roofs.
TEXTILES
Su xiu Embroidery
Lotuses and peonies, pomegranates and peaches! Su xiu embroidery is a vibrant type of decorative sewing that goes back more than 2,000 years, and can be seen on robes, purses, slippers, and quilts. Feast your eyes on some beautiful examples of this embroidery technique from the city of Suzhou, then be guided by artist Julie Boada as you learn some embroidery techniques to fashion your own miniature pincushion.
MIXED MEDIA
Butterfly Kites 
Did you know that the first Chinese kites were fabricated for measuring distances? They were also used to calculate and record wind readings and provided a unique form of communication similar to ship flags at sea. From there, kites evolved in China into an elaborate traditional folk art. In this class, learn the history of Chinese kites from Gustavo Boada, and then make your own ornamental butterfly kite from bamboo, paper, and streamers to decorate your room.
MIXED MEDIA
Let there be Light: Chinese Lanterns
Lanterns are central to Chinese celebrations such as the Lantern Festival and the Mid-Autumn Festival, symbolizing unity, good luck, and the end of the New Year. They are frequently made from paper and bamboo, and decorated with dragons, phoenixes, or calligraphy. Join artist Tara Fahey to learn about the various holidays where lanterns appear in China. Then create your own colorful lantern to decorate your next celebration.
WATERCOLOR PAINTING
Auspicious Animals
Dive into the luminous world of watercolor with artist Karen Anderson! Learn time- honored techniques such as wet-on-wet, building layers from light to dark, and how to implement varied brushstrokes. Then create beautiful paintings of your favorite lucky Chinese fauna: from tigers and monkeys to cranes and koi fish.
FINE ARTS
Chinese Calligraphy
Chinese calligraphy is a distinct art form that goes beyond the written word. Delve into the history and cultural significance of this ancient technique, and learn the fundamentals of using a calligraphy brush, ink, and paper. Gain an understanding and appreciation for Chinese calligraphy through demonstrations and practice with Artist Hong Zhang. Then create your own unique calligraphy art piece, whether it be a couplet or a poem. Additional $10 material fee.
BOOKBINDING
Bound by Tradition
Did you know that the Chinese invented paper? Before that, scribes wrote on pieces of bamboo or silk. With paper came the evolution of new techniques such as the accordion book and stab- binding. In this hands-on class, you will learn the history of Chinese book arts, from the simple scroll to the complicated “Dragon scale” binding. Then work with Artist Heidi Witte to create your own artistic books using folding and stitching techniques.
A Start With the Arts 2026
Chinese Holidays & Traditions:
July 6-10
Beautiful Grandness:
July 13-17
A Start with the Arts meets daily Monday-Friday and offers 4-5 year-olds the opportunity to work with an arts educator to explore the art, culture, and wildlife of China through movement, drama, art making and other hands-on activities. This program for pre-schoolers parallels the school-age program in theme and content, Chinese Holidays & Traditions: July 6-10 and “Beautiful Grandness” July 13-17. TUITION: $175 PER WEEK
Pre-school children ages 4-5 years register for “A Start with the Arts” offered morning only 8:30-11:30 AM Monday-Friday, both weeks.
