Adams County youth participate in the drama - Charlotte’s Web. (Photo by Sherry Larson)
Adams County Arts Camp
By Sherry Larson
People’s Defender
“Wouldn’t it be great to have an Arts Camp for the young people in Adams County?” That was the question posed by J.R. Bradley, a member of the Board of Trustees for the Arts Council, in 2012.
J.R. and his wife Eliza moved to Adams County from Toledo after his retirement. He was a well-known artist in woodworking and specialized in Intarsia pieces. JR passed away on July 16, 2023. His obituary reads, “His greatest legacy was forming the J.R. Bradley Summer Arts in 2012 to spread the love of creative arts to the children of Adams County.” The 2023 camp showcased animal art last week at the West Union Elementary School.
According to shutterstock.com, “Starting as early as 45,000 BCE and continuing to the present day, figurative animal depictions, realistic animal depictions, and anthropomorphic animals pop up in every culture and period of history.”
This year’s Arts Camp instructors were:
• Elaine Lafferty – Art Appreciation
• Trina Stapleton – Drawing
• Gracie Roades – Sculpture
• Elijah Wickerham – Painting
• Lee Wilson – Drama
• Creative Writing – Margaret Belvins
Others contributing to this year’s camp efforts – Camp Assistant Britney Harper, ACAC President Betsy Miskell, Drama Assistants Lio McElroy, and Skylar Stapleton.
The budding artists included: Colton Arnett, Grace Crank, Josie Jarvis, Lucy Meade, Gillian Palm, Estelle Parks, Aaliyah Reisinger, Michael Conley, Addison Downing, Kylie Mae Hayslip, Laila Humphrey, Raelynn Johnson, Daulton Music, Eden Seitz, Gabriel Steward, Julia Basford, Hallee Cox, Oliver Dulaney, Esmee Grooms, Lillian Harper, Alex Horsley, Harper King, Gabriel Palm, Gavin Rowe, Ezra Seitz, Jacob R. Smith, Rimi Updike, Amos West, Jael West, Jeremiah West, Maya Warren, Gabrille Arnett, Airowyn Blanton, Emmalee Brammer, Cale Campbell, Boone Carman, Leotie Carman, Clare Cox, Kyleigh Fields, Stellar Grooms, Ayala Harper, Emmalyn Jamison, Wyatt Jarvis, Eli McCann, Royce Music, Selena Music, Ellie Smart, Aubree Stapleton, and Josiah Warren.
Each day the youth were introduced to different animals and their depiction in books, advertisements, music, paintings, drawings, sculpture, films, and music. Musical scores from such classics as “Peter and the Wolf” and “The Lion King” played throughout the camp to further the student’s education. Instructors encouraged the young artists’ creativity, and the results impressed visitors.
On Friday, Wilson’s group performed a 20-minute “Charlotte’s Web” snippet, enticing the audience to see more at this fall’s Art Council production.
ACAC members Mike and Paulette Roberts attended the performance. The couple had been involved in the arts long before residing in Adams County. Paulette said, “These kids are coming here because they want to be here.”
J.R. Bradley’s vision has developed into a weeklong of creative learning for the youth of Adams County. The camp is free to participants and always welcomes donations. Adams County owes gratitude to Bradley and those who joined him in the pursuit of fostering art appreciation. “How very special are we for just a moment to be part of life’s eternal rhyme.” (Charlotte – Charlotte’s Web)
If you are interested in an Art Council membership, the cost is $20 for a family, $15 for an individual, and $10 for students. Please get in touch with Betsy Miskell at betsymiskell@gmail.com.
