Summer Art and Design Camp
Registration for Summer Camp will be open in the Spring!
Join us this summer for an immersive Art and Design Camp tailored specifically for high school students! Our camp offers a unique opportunity for young artists and designers to explore their creativity, develop new skills, and unleash their potential in a supportive and inspiring environment. Through hands-on courses, expert guidance from experienced instructors, and exposure to various artistic mediums and design principles, participants will embark on a journey of self-expression and discovery. From photography to digital art, sculpture, and graphic design, our camp curriculum covers a wide range of disciplines to cater to diverse interests. Whether you’re a budding painter, aspiring animator, or future graphic designer, our camp promises to ignite your passion for art and design while fostering personal growth and camaraderie among fellow creative minds. Don’t miss this chance to elevate your artistic abilities and make lasting memories this summer!
For questions please contact: Daniel Kariko karikod@ecu.edu
Fees
All fees include a full week of courses (2 per day), all meals in an ECU dining hall, a camp T- shirt, all supplies and materials (unless otherwise noted for the course), all recreational activities, accident insurance, and a health care fee. Campers choose between resident and day camper options:
Resident Camper Fee includes a shared room in an ECU residence hall : $975
Day Camper Fee $800
Partial payment options are available upon paying a down-payment of $275 for a resident campers, or $250 for day campers.
Registration Deadline May 15th, 2025
Format
Students will select one morning and one afternoon course as well as their second choices.
We are going to be announcing classes for Summer of 2025 in January!
These are examples of last Summer’s classes:
| Morning Sessions | Afternoon Sessions |
|---|---|
| Animation- Hillary Huskey | Animation- Hillary Huskey |
| Digital Photography- Rod Fincannon | Darkroom Photography- Rod Fincannon |
| Textile Design- Paul Edwards | Film and Video- BJ Emerson |
| Soft Sculpture- Noelle Gunn | Graphic Design- Ty Huff |
| Sculptural Paper- Noelle Gunn |
Forms:
Full descriptions of courses are bellow.
Note: Once registered, we will contact you in few days to confirm your final schedule of classes, based on your requests. We cannot guarantee that you will receive your first choices, since courses are limited to 15 attendees.
2024 Morning Sessions:
Textile Design
The textile design course will focus on the Dye lab facilities. After an orientation and safety information, students will learn two separate fabric dyeing techniques over the first three days. Upon completion of dyeing, the course will move into the sewing studio where students can choose how to utilize their dyed fabric.
After choosing from among three pattern samples, students will create either folio bags, boxed corner bags, or pouches with a wrap closure. At the end of the week, students will have learned two basic dye techniques and basic sewing concepts. These techniques can be expanded to suit a variety of future textile design work.
Instructor: Paul Edwards
Recently returned to the USA from nearly two decades of work in English language education in South Korea, Paul is currently pursuing his MFA with a focus on woven cloth with current research endeavors including crackle weave structures, various textile stiffening methods, and textile sculpture.
Required Materials: None. All supplies and materials will be provided.
Animation
Join us for a week filled with fun where students will unleash their imagination and bring characters to life. Through hands-on activities and creative projects, they’ll hone their artistic skills and collaborate with fellow students. 
Our guided course will cover key aspects of character design, starting with understanding what makes a character memorable and how to create one. Students will delve into narrative development, exploring the art of storytelling through characters. They’ll also get hands-on experience with 2D Visual Development using Photoshop, learning the basics of digital design.
An introduction to digital sculpting will open up new possibilities as students discover the world of 3D character creation. Students will create a bust of their characters. The camp will focus on refining sculpts, providing insight into the intricate details of character design. From defining features to perfecting painting and rendering techniques, participants will gain valuable skills throughout the summer.
Instructor: Hilary Huskey
Hilary Huskey, an Assistant Professor at East Carolina University, specializes in animation and game design. With a double major in Art and Political Science from Duke University and a master’s from the Savannah College of Art and Design, she passionately guides students in exploring the dynamic intersection of storytelling and character sculpting.
Required Materials: Flash Drive (16g is fine, this is for saving files)
Digital Photography
This introductory course is designed for anyone interested in learning more about the world of digital photography. Learn the fundamentals of camera operation, composition techniques, and essential editing skills. Whether you have experience or just starting to explore your passion for photography, this class provides a solid foundation to capture and create stunning visual narratives. No prior experience required!
Instructor: Rod Fincannon
With a base in Greenville, NC, Rod Fincannon has dedicated over 15 years to photography and photography education. His photographic work centers around the exploration of social processes and cultural curiosities. Rod has garnered publications and exhibitions across the United States and abroad. Additionally, he has shared his knowledge through teaching roles at ECU, Brevard College, The Fine Arts Center of Greenville, SC, and Longleaf School of the Arts in Raleigh.
Required Materials: Cell phone with camera or digital (DSLR) camera.
Soft Sculpture – Noelle Gunn
In this course, students will explore the expressive qualities of fibers and found materials to create an original narrative soft sculpture. We will experiment and play with materials to find our favorite ways of expressing ourselves with fibers and other materials. Mark making will be explored through hand stitching and other art media. Basic stitching techniques will also be covered. Students will learn a variety of ways to create armatures to create soft sculpture forms. We will also look at a variety of sculpture artists for inspiration. Students are welcome and encouraged to incorporate their favorite media, such as drawing, collage, and marking making through two dimensional materials as well.
Instructor: Noelle Gunn
Noelle Gunn is a North Carolina based artist who paints, draws, and creates sculptural worlds out of fibers, handmade paper, and local materials found, collected, and hand-stitched together through mixed media, layered approaches. She grew up with her bare feet in the dirt, watching thunderstorms, and exploring the fields and forests of Southeastern Virginia. She is now an instructor at East Carolina University, teaching first year foundation courses where she earned her MFA in Painting and Drawing in 2021.
Required Materials: None. All supplies and materials will be provided.
2024 Afternoon Sessions:
Graphic Design
In this course students will be briefly learning about type history and type anatomy. We will be discussing how type is used down to the individual characters and how impactful it has been on modern day advertisements. Learning about a basic grid system and transforming type, students will get a fun and interactive intro to the world of graphic design. We’ll be working on a couple of projects that showcase how impactful graphic design is on their everyday life such as popular brands, social media etc. By the end students will be able to take home physical media of their own art.
Examples of Projects
- Type poster
- Redesign of popular brands
- Logomark design using initials
Instructor: Ty Huff
Ty Huff was born in Amherst, Ohio before moving to NC in 2010. Loved movies growing up and wanted to pursue them in some way. He graduated from ECU in 2021 with a BFA double concentrating Graphic Design/Film & Video Production. He now works for the College of Nursing as lead videographer.
Required Materials: A flash drive for your files. All other supplies and materials will be provided.
Film and Video
The film and video course will provide campers opportunities to be in front of, and behind the camera as they create short films throughout the week. From pre-production script writing to location scouting, casting, and post-production editing, campers will get an understanding of the filmmaking process and will come home with video projects produced at the camp. These hands-on creative activities will inspire and challenge young filmmakers to experience all aspects of videography, grow in their storytelling and technical abilities and will enable them to zero in on their interests and strengths for future careers, if they choose to pursue filmmaking.
Instructor: BJ Emerson
Writer and Director BJ Emerson is an award-winning media innovator and published author passionate about creating flourishing storytellers. BJ currently leads a group of rockstars at Buzzadelic, the Greenville, NC-based digital marketing and advertising agency he founded in 2013. His experience in film and video production spans both non-profit and commercial client work. BJ also serves as a Teaching Instructor at East Carolina University in the School of Art and Design.
Required Materials: Campers will use their own mobile devices for recording. Supporting equipment will be provided along with editing tools.
Animation
Join us for a week filled with fun where students will unleash their imagination and bring characters to life. Through hands-on activities and creative projects, they’ll hone their artistic skills and collaborate with fellow students. Our guided course will cover key aspects of character design, starting with understanding what makes a character memorable and how to create one. Students will delve into narrative development, exploring the art of storytelling through characters. They’ll also get hands-on experience with 2D Visual Development using Photoshop, learning the basics of digital design.
An introduction to digital sculpting will open up new possibilities as students discover the world of 3D character creation. Students will create a bust of their characters. The camp will focus on refining sculpts, providing insight into the intricate details of character design. From defining features to perfecting painting and rendering techniques, participants will gain valuable skills throughout the summer.
Instructor: Hilary Huskey
Hilary Huskey, an Assistant Professor at East Carolina University, specializes in animation and game design. With a double major in Art and Political Science from Duke University and a master’s from the Savannah College of Art and Design, she passionately guides students in exploring the dynamic intersection of storytelling and character sculpting.
Required Materials: Flash Drive (16g is fine, this is for saving files)
Darkroom Photography
The beginning darkroom photography course is tailored for individuals who are curious about traditional photography processes. Explore the magic of developing your own black and white film, investigate darkroom techniques, and create unique prints. From understanding the chemistry of film development to the artistry of printing, this class offers hands-on experience and guidance. No prior darkroom knowledge is needed – just bring your enthusiasm for the art of photography.
Instructor: Rod Fincannon
With a base in Greenville, NC, Rod Fincannon has dedicated over 15 years to photography and photography education. His photographic work centers around the exploration of social processes and cultural curiosities. Rod has garnered publications and exhibitions across the United States and abroad. Additionally, he has shared his knowledge through teaching roles at ECU, Brevard College, The Fine Arts Center of Greenville, SC, and Longleaf School of the Arts in Raleigh.
Required Materials: None. Cameras and materials will be provided. If students have an SLR camera they are welcome to bring it, but it is not required.
Sculptural Paper: Making Sculptures from Handmade Paper
Students will explore paper casting a variety of fun, textural found objects to create an original handmade paper sculpture. First students will learn how to make handmade paper from recycled materials, including old clothes, papers, cotton paper, and abaca. They will then explore casting a variety of textures and found objects with their paper to create their very own handmade paper sculptures. There will be the option to stain the paper with natural materials. Students will also learn different ways to professionally present their finished work.
Instructor: Noelle Gunn
Noelle Gunn is a North Carolina based artist who paints, draws, and creates sculptural worlds out of fibers, handmade paper, and local materials found, collected, and hand-stitched together through mixed media, layered approaches. She grew up with her bare feet in the dirt, watching thunderstorms, and exploring the fields and forests of Southeastern Virginia. She is now an instructor at East Carolina University, teaching first year foundation courses where she earned her MFA in Painting and Drawing in 2021.
Required Materials: None. All supplies and materials will be provided.
Camper Information
School of Art and Design Main Office – 252-328-6665 // The Main Office is open Monday through Fridays, 8 am to 5 pm
Campers and families will be given an after-hours contact upon arrival.
Camp Director: Daniel Kariko karikod@ecu.edu
Camp Assistant Director: Robbie Quinn quinnr@ecu.edu
Map
Daily Camp Schedule
What to Bring
PLEASE BRING YOUR COMPLETED MEDICAL AND LIABILITY RELEASE FORMS.
BEDDING: Pillow, pillow cases, single (twin XL) sheets, light-weight blanket.
TOILETRIES: Towels, wash clothes, toothbrush and tooth paste, comb, deodorant.
CLOTHING: Pajamas, casual clothes that can be used in messy art studios, COMFORTABLE close-toed shoes, coat hangers if desired. Jenkins Fine Arts Center can be cool in the summer, so please bring a sweatshirt or warmer layer just in case.
PLEASE DO NOT BRING SKATEBOARDS OR OTHER LARGE NON-PORTABLE EQUIPMENT OR DEVICES. THESE ARE PROHIBITED.
Parents and Students: Please Notice
Students will not be permitted to ride in cars while at camp. Students driving themselves to camp will turn in their keys to their dorm counselor for the duration of camp. Keys will be returned on Friday at checkout.
The use of alcohol, tobacco, drugs, and/or vaping is strictly forbidden. Additionally, while students are encouraged to have a cell phone in order to stay in communication with camp counselors as well as family, any inappropriate texting or online bullying will not be tolerated. A VIOLATION OF THESE RULES WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE SUSPENSION FROM THIS CAMP.