With funds provided by a generous grant from the Arizona Community Foundation, the Phippen Museum is proud to offer a very special art activity for all local school children in September.
Called Clay Out West, this event is a sculpture contest open to area Elementary, Middle and High School students who are interested in trying their hands at clay sculpture. The entry fee is $10 per student and all materials will be provided by the museum.
Participants will be introduced to this fascinating medium by museum staff and provided numerous, hands-on workshops and special instruction in the art of clay sculpture. These young artists will then be invited to execute a Western-themed sculpture for submission into this fun-filled competition.
First-place winners in each age category will receive award certificates and their artwork will be rendered as actual bronze sculptures by Bronzesmith Fine Art Foundry and Skurja Art Castings, LLC.
Numerous instructional workshops will be offered at the museum as students may need more than one to complete their sculpture. But registration should be made early as class sizes are limited to 30.
Children will be classified into three separate groups: Elementary School (ages 6-10), Middle School (ages 11-13) and High School (ages 14-18).
Elementary and Middle School Workshops will be held on September 2nd, 9th & 30thfrom 10AM to 12:30PM and High School Workshops on September 2nd, 9th & 30thfrom 1 to 4 PM. Additional Open Workshops (for all ages) are scheduled on September 3rd, 10th & 17th from 1 to 4PM.
All sculptures should have a Western or Southwestern theme — plant, wildlife or domestic ranch animal, Western artifact or figure. In addition, dimensions should not exceed 5-inch by 5-inch by 5-inch.
In addition, to be considered for judging, sculptures must be in the museum by 4PM on Saturday, September 30th and each will be judged based on creativity and quality of artistic execution. Afterward, participating student sculptors and their guardians will be invited to a special Clay Out West Open House reception on Sunday, October 15th, 2017. For more information or to enter the competition and participate in these workshops, please call the museum’s Education Coordinator, Neal McEwen, right away to make reservations at (928)-778-1385.