Summer camps going gangbusters

Hamilton, Ohio – Come July 14, Billy Simms gets very busy.

The veteran artist, educator and camp instructor has a pair of printmaking camps coming up in the middle of the second wave of the Fitton Center’s Summer Camp Creativity 2025 season.

The first wave – which stated June 9 and runs three weeks through Friday, June 27 – provided 184 campers countless opportunities to learn, to grow, to make art and to make friends in a dozen different camps, including the first-ever Public Art Camp that resulted in a multi-media storefront mural at Liberty Center.

“LOVE this,” Liberty Center said in a social media post after the camp. “Thank you so much for the partnership on this!”

Total registrations for camp season are up to 292 – a slight increase over 2024’s record-setting numbers - with time and room to reach the 300-person plateau for the first time.

But back to Billy.

From 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. the week of July 14, Simms offers Click & Print: Youth Printmaking & Photography for ages 7 to 12. Then from 2 to 5 p.m. he leads the Teen Print Lab Camp for ages 12 to 16.

In the latter, according to the Fitton Center website, campers “learn the artform of printmaking using both hand and digital techniques in conjunction with real printing presses. Explore a variety of traditional printmaking methods including monotype, relief prints, and dry point. Discover how to incorporate digital tools like iPads to capture inspiration and generate original illustrations for screen printing.”

In the former, young artists learn the printmaking techniques taught in the teen camp, but also rely on digital photography “to create collages, illustrated narratives and much more.”Those are just two of the 12 camps set for the month of July.

One of the others is the last two-week opportunity of the summer. Musical Theater Camp (ages 7-12) begins July 7 and culminates with a showcase performance Friday, July 18, in the Fitton Family Theater.

Three more - Sunny Studio Camp (week four), Top Secret Camp (week five) and Colorful Creatures Camp (week six) – already sold out. To get on a waiting list in case of a cancellation, please call 513-863-8873, ext. 110.

Two fiber-art camps are on the July docket, including Sewing Basics: Teen Sewing Camp (ages 12-16), which runs 1 to 4 p.m. starting July 7 with instructor Sharon Theard. An opportunity to put those basic skills into practice follows with Refashion Your Wardrobe: Teen Sewing & Alterations starting July 21 with instructor Melissa Klaassen.

Week four, beginning July 7, also includes Nature’s Palette Camp (ages 7-12). Campers use the natural world to inspire man-made artwork in a variety of media.

Kate Schaich joins Simms in pulling double duty during week five, starting July 14. She offers the popular Upcycled Art Camp (ages 7-12) in the morning. Campers “transform everyday objects into amazing masterpieces while learning about the importance of recycling and creative reuse.” In the afternoon, she teams up with husband Rob Schaich for their multimedia Roll for Adventure: Teen D&D Camp (ages 12-16).

Close out the summer in week six with Art with Heart (ages 7-12) opening July 21. Campers “use art to spread kindness and positivity” as they “make the world a little brighter - one artwork at a time.”

Early bird discounts and scholarships for all of the remaining camps are available through Monday, June 30. Visit fittoncenter.org/education for complete details.

The Fitton Center for Creative Arts is located at 101 S. Monument Avenue on the Riverfront in downtown Hamilton, Ohio.

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