We’re excited to feel the Caribbean energy at Grace Art Camp this summer. Returning to our roots with story-based programming, we will welcome our professional storytellers back to our morning assemblies to regale us with tales of a colorful monstrous bird, a girl with the gift of song and her green […]
We are a community of creative and collaborative people encompassing a range of ages, artistic expressions, and global interests. Grace Art Camp is dedicated to encouraging awareness of the world through art, culture, and story in a joyful and process-oriented environment. Each summer, over 115 experienced staff members […]
Celebrate the change of the season with the Grace Art Camp artist, counselor, and camper community! In this newly structured Spring Break Camp, campers will have the opportunity to delve deeper into studio projects and performances than ever before. We won’t be limited to one studio session to explore […]
Gathering & Giving Camp: November 24 – 26, 2025Winter Peace Camp: December 29 – 31, 2025 Celebrate Autumn Break with Art, Gratitude, & Community! We’re excited to welcome campers back to our 2nd Annual Gathering & Giving Camp—a special Autumn Break program centered on creativity, connection, and thankfulness. This 3-day camp […]
Cibyl Kavan, our teaching artist, authored an article for Oregon ArtsWatch discussing Grace Art Camp. This piece highlights the camp’s significance and activities, showcasing the artistic initiatives and engagement it offers. Read the full article for insights into the creative experiences available at the camp.
Vote Grace Art Camp for Portland’s Best Arts Summer Camp! It’s that time of year once again! NW Kids Magazine is in the last three days of voting for Best Summer Camp in Portland. Grace Institute nurtures the human spirit through the arts, fostering intercultural humility and learning […]
During Gathering and Giving Camp 2024, campers had the opportunity to write music alongside our studio artist, Larry Peace Love Yes. Here are their songs! Blue Group Red Group Yellow Group Green Group Purple Group Silver Group
A Brand-New Camp Experience This November Join us for our Autumn Break camp on November 25 through 27, 2024! We’re unable to host our annual Winter Peace Camp this year since the weeks for Winter Break include Christmas Day and New Years Day, when many of our campers […]
It is with heavy hearts that we inform the Grace Art Camp community that Gerardo Calderon, a beloved teaching artist, assembly guitarist and percussionist, advisor, friend, and recently nominated Artist Representative on the Grace Institute Board of Directors, passed away on January 21, 2024 in Mexico, with his […]
Whether it’s the wee folk in the hollow hills of Ireland, or the sky gods above Japan, the world is alive with ancestors and spirits willing to assist us in times of our greatest need. During this Winter Peace Camp we’ll travel through the magic of storytelling and […]
THE BEEKEEPER AND THE BLUE-EYED HARE Three Days: Monday through Wednesday — March 27, 28, and 29, 2023 from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm — with Extended Hours until 6:00 pm Registration online begins January 25 at 8:00 am. Click HERE to register ! Join us for Spring Break Camp 2023 and […]
The Art of Recycling Festival will be Sunday, November 13, 2022 from 11:30 am – 2 pm PLEASE JOIN Grace Institute and Grace Art Camp artists for an America Recycles Day celebration featuring music played on instruments made by Robert Randall from recycled objects, a fabulous story with […]
Thanks to all of our families and to all of you, Grace Art Camp was just voted Best Summer Camp in Arts and Crafts category for 2021! We also received that honor in 2019 and 2020. Sponsored by NW Kids Magazine as well as Mad Science Portland and […]
Our Fall Bright Spot features a folk story from Will Hornyak about a farmer and a magic box in a tale to fit this autumn season of harvest, appreciation and reflection. This video also features animation and sound design by Orie Weeks. Storyteller Will Hornyak weaves a wide web […]
CHECK OUT OUR COLLABORATIVE ‘Wherever I Go, I’m Aglow’ SNAIL MAIL MURAL … The spirit of creativity is truly alive and well in the Grace Art Camp Community! This final Bright Spot of Summer 2020 and all of our preceding videos could not replace Camp this year, but we hope it helped encourage and inspire your own artmaking! Please enjoy this celebratory video of the mural’s creation! Many thanks […]
MAKE YOUR OWN LUCET (SPOOL-KNITTER)… and make cool toys, accessories and gifts! Led by long-time Grace Art Camp Fibre Artist Judee Moonbeam, this episode introduces an ancient art that is still widely practiced today! The original lucet was a carved wooden tool used during the Middle Ages for making cords and belts. Judee will show you how to make a basic lucet from things around your house. Many enjoy practicing this skill and find it soothing. (It’s great for […]
GET STARTED WITH STOP MOTION ANIMATION…. Let Robert Randall and Kelly Campbell inspire your next artistic adventure as they introduce you to stop motion animation. Even if you have never attended one of Robert’s stop motion studios at Grace Art Camp, Episode 8 of Bright Spots can get you started with animation at home. Go ahead! Create your own epic film with paper cut-outs, figures/shapes […]
LEARN TO MAKE WORRY DOLLS AND FURRY WORRY FRIENDS…. Let Annie show you how to craft your very own little figures and critters based on the textile traditions of Guatemala. You can transform small bits of fabric scraps, wire and cardboard using glue, a needle, thread and maybe a little patience into your own new friends! Once completed, these Worry […]
MAKE PRINTS USING ALMOST ANYTHING …. Do you have a ‘junk drawer’? Too many fern fronds? Mystery keys? Bubble wrap? Interestingly-shaped items you can’t bear to part with? In this week’s episode, Artist Paula Benjaminson offers a mini-class showing you how to make art with items that have cool shapes and textures — things you can find around the house. It’s low fuss with amazing results. Paula Benjaminson has taught Printmaking, Fibre Arts, Bookmaking […]
GRACE ART CAMP! GRACE ART CAMP! GIMME A… Do you know the lyrics? Do you remember the hand motions? Returning camper or new, this week’s episode gives you a chance to relearn the words or practice the motions of our very own camp song — with music and lyrics by […]
BE PART OF THE WHEREVER I GO, I’M AGLOW SNAIL MAIL MURAL FROM HOME! Don’t be a lamp…. Let’s have fun making art together even if we can’t be together. All Campers, Counselors, CITs and Artists are invited to help create our new collaborative mural. Designed by Artists Ashley Klump and Kristin Koop, with help from Paula Benjaminson, this mural celebrates the creative glow we each have — it connects us all, wherever we go. There are […]
CREATE A SPECIAL HANDMADE JOURNAL! In this week’s episode, learn how to make a bound book with glue and paper you have at home! Led by Artist Becky Schroeder, this project introduces basic bookmaking techniques, and we think you just might want to make more than one. (Hint: these glue-bound books make excellent gifts!) We hope this Bright Spot helps you a create a special book that inspires even more creativity – writing, drawing, […]
DON’T YOU LOVE THE SOUND OF A RAINSTICK? In this week’s episode learn how to make one of your very own. Played to ask for rain, rainsticks are believed to have originated in South America and were made from hollow cacti sticks, which were dried in the sun. Since that […]
COME AND LISTEN TO A STORY ABOUT TWO GOATS…! This week’s episode is a story retold by Grace Art Camp Storyteller Alton — a video treat with animation by Orie Weeks. We hope this inspires you to tell more stories about the two goats using the included paper action figures. We all are sad […]
MAKE YOUR OWN CLAY MANDALAS! We all are sad about not being able to have Camp this summer, so Grace Art Camp has a gift for you! “Bright Spots” – short videos led by our artists to inspire fun and creativity for you and your families. Each Wednesday through late August look for a new […]
Official Sneak Peek: Wednesdays, beginning June 24, Grace Art Camp premiers “Bright Spots” – short videos led by our artists, with art and fun as a gift for you and your families to enjoy at home this summer! Episodes will range from stories by your favorite storytellers to a collaborative mural to animation you […]
The spirit of creativity in our artists and the children of our community will still flourish — even without camp. This “Bright Spot” — Floral Lace Collage — cannot replace Grace Art Camp, but we hope it helps encourage and inspire your own creativity! Please watch and enjoy this Floral Lace Collage project from our artists Kristin […]
It is with very heavy hearts that the Grace Institute Board and Administrative Team Staff have determined that we need to postpone Grace Art Camp 2020 to next summer in the utmost concern for the safety of our campers and staff. Although final State guidelines have not been […]
Thanks to all of you for your support! Grace Art Camp was voted Best Summer Camp in Arts and Crafts for 2020, the second year in a row. From April 7th to April 21st, NW Kids Magazine held nominations for Portland’s Best Summer Camps. The three camps in each category […]
Sunday, November 17, 2019 — 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm PLEASE JOIN Grace Institute and Grace Art Camp for an America Recycles Day celebration featuring a puppet show, music played on instruments made from recycled objects, and up-cycled art projects, all led by multi-talented Grace Institute artists! NEW THIS YEAR recycling […]
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