Parents, are you ready? Petaluma School Districts' upcoming whopper of a 10-week summer recess is a lot of time to fill down by the pond, at the pool and out at the beach.
Experts agree that today's boys and girls do need to be able to experience some degree of constructive boredom at least in parts of the long summer break, but most moms and dads will agree, there's a limit to the level of (parent approved) creativity involved in week after week of self-amusement.
Enter the summer camp. Sanity salvation for the stay-at-home (or work-at-home) parent and an absolute saving grace for the full-time employee who juggles a hectic summer schedule at work with a house full of offspring parked in front of the goggle box all day.
Sports and activity camps abound. It's the American way. And who can complain about that? Summer time is prime time for movement and action. Yet not all kids and especially teens are cut from the same cloth.
Here's where Petaluma Arts Center steps up to the plate. Petaluma Arts Council's excellent Summer Arts Program has expanded this season to offer an outstanding five week series of classes for kids in the mornings and classes for teens in the afternoons. Sign up your budding Banksy for a one or two week session or all five. Take a break in between. Its entirely your (and your creative kid's) option.
Classes at the Arts Center are the ideal place to explore an inspirational variety of mediums in a fun and professional studio setting.
Located in the recently renovated historic railroad freight depot building on Lakeville Street in the center of the city, Petaluma Arts Center regularly features major exhibitions and live performing arts, as well as offering extensive year-round art classes for all ages. Easily accessible off the 101, the summer arts program should appeal to parents of kids and teens from all over Sonoma and Marin Counties.
From ceramics to painting monoprints to graffiti, Petaluma Arts Center has your creative kids or teenagers covered.
Whatever they can conjure up in your mind, they can create in clay. In two-week ceramics studios, both kids and teen groups will have the opportunity to invent fabulous creatures, mystical masks, human figures, bowls and pots, using a variety of ceramic techniques and fired in the on-site Art Center's kiln.
How about the prospect of mosaics for personalized projects from the decorated dog bowl to suped-up skateboard utilizing broken dishes, cut glass, chip tiles, shells, all sorts of found treasures?
Smart Art Making Monoprints class is set to introduce this simple and satisfying printmaking method for the creation of abstract or realistic images with a hidden surprise.
Southern Sonoma Country Life top pick for the young artist in the family is week four's Make Like a Famous Artist: today's youth is surrounded by their everyday influence via multimedia platforms - on album covers, posters, billboards and clothing. George Rodrigue and Bansky are artists who have created their own pop culture movements in graffiti and dog art and more. Both kids and teen groups will learn how these radical artists became so popular and mainstream in a hip and relaxed studio art setting.
They'll study their styles through imitation, while unleashing individual creativity and interpretation of their work using a variety of mediums.
The summer program kicks off June 21st. Classes run Monday to Friday, half days, mornings for kids aged 7 - 11 and afternoons 12 -16. For more information, go to the Classes page of Petaluma Arts Center website and download flyers.
Thanks for reminding me we need to drop off our check! Did you get Dom signed up? Good to see you last night - sorry I didn't really say goodbye. Was rushing the kids to a late arrival at their SPD Factory class... Avery worked out in his "good clothes" ;-)
Posted by: Rachel | Tuesday, May 11, 2026 at 07:45 AM
Yes! I was a good girl and filled in the paperwork and put it in the mail yesterday! I was busy buying raffle tix at the end of the concert - I wouldn't mind winning the Peter Frampton-signed guitar to add to our musical instrument collection.
Posted by: Frances | Tuesday, May 11, 2026 at 08:07 AM