Renee Buchanan works with young students in the Foundation drawing class.
Las Vegas, N.M. – Middle and high school students will be taking drawing classes and learning about artistic masters during a free summer art camp at Highlands University, thanks to Willie Ann Lansing, a generous Las Vegas donor.
“We are very grateful to Willie Anne Lansing for the donation that is making this local art camp possible,” said Renee Buchanan, Highlands University Foundation art curator and archivist. “She was impressed by the students’ gallery show from the 2018 camp and wanted to see it continue.”
Buchanan will teach the drawing camp, with the help of a Highlands fine art student, July 22 – 25 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. in Kennedy Alumni Hall’s gallery at 905 University Ave. Drawing supplies and snacks will be provided.
At the end of the camp, the students’ artwork will be showcased in Kennedy Alumni Hall, with an artists’ reception July 27 from 1 to 3 p.m.
“We have a unique and extensive art collection at Highlands and it’s exciting to share this resource with the community, including our youth,” Buchanan said. “Last year in our first year of the youth camp, students engaged with the collection and found inspiration. We’d like to continue using the collection as a valuable teaching resource.”
Buchanan said the university owns approximately 2,500 fine art prints, primarily from the 19th through the 20th century. The collection also contains some earlier prints from the 16th century. Buchanan said she hopes the students will enjoy the art collection and be inspired to learn more about art.
“The students will look through selected prints each afternoon and choose ones that they are interested in drawing from. I’ll be giving basic drawing instructions to get the students started each day,” Buchanan said.
Previously, Buchanan taught art programs for youth at the Las Vegas Arts Council and a summer multimedia art camp for youth in Michigan.
Space for the art camp is limited to 20 and those who preregister will be given priority. To register, email Buchanan at rbuchanan@nmhu.edu or call her at 505-426-2132.