camp guide

David Goldman gets
campers to stretch before
learning to ride unicycles.

Painting The Future

Tamarack seeks camper input into artist-in-residence selection.

TRACY ARONOFF SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

H

Campers at Camp Maas learn how to fly fish from an expert.

Artist Mona Engel helps a camper learn to use pastels.

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February 9 • 2017

jn

ow does someone become an
artist? A basketball player? An
actress? Is it a talent inherently
born within or is it repeated exposure
that allows the skill to take its grasp?
While the supporting evidence is
unclear, most presume it’s some com-
bination of both nature and nurture.
Tamarack Camps has leveraged the
idea that exposure to unique experts —
or, as they call it, Artists in Residence
— encourages campers to undertake
unique experiences. And maybe, just
maybe, it will lead a camper down a
road that will positively impact his or
her life.
This plan to bring artists in resi-
dence began a few years ago with
traditional artists who specialized
in pastels, watercolors, mosaics, etc.
Each year, however, the program has
expanded from artist to experts in a
wide array of fields.
In 2016, the artists at Camp Maas
included a variety of specialties:
swimming instruction, a professional
Israeli basketball player, a fly fisher-
man, unicycling, soccer and even a
Young Engineers program. Each expert

teaches a course that allows interested
campers to dive deeply into their spe-
cialty for three to five days.
During their residency, artists enjoy
staying at camp — or, if necessary, they
commute.
“I worked with two different vil-
lages on learning how to ride,” said
unicylcist extraordinaire David
Goldman. “With a total of three
hours together, many of the kids
established a solid foundation. The
experience brought me back to 1986,
when I spent a summer teaching
unicycling and juggling at Camp Chi
in Wisconsin. My stint as artist in
residence allowed me, once again, to
witness the look of satisfaction and
pure joy when working hard to learn
a new skill.”
Each year, the program has
improved, and summer 2017 will be
no different.
“Campers and artists love the pro-
gram equally,” said Carly Weinstock,
Camp Maas associate director and
Artist in Resident program manager.
“Parents also thank us after camp.
I always get several phone calls and

emails saying how much they appre-
ciate that their child had this oppor-
tunity.”
This year, Tamarack Camps is open-
ing the door to the community for
suggestions. With a virtual suggestion
box on the Tamarack Camps Facebook
page, campers, artists and community
members now have the opportunity
to submit ideas they believe would be
exciting for campers.
“It’s a win-win,” Weinstock says.
“Artists love coming to camp and
teaching their skill to a younger gener-
ation, and kids love learning something
new and different they can show off
when they get home.”
Tamarack Camps prides itself on 115
consecutive summers of happy camp-
ers. This program is another example
of how this long-standing community
gem continues to push boundaries
and helps campers grow on their own
journeys of self-discovery. •

To submit an idea, visit Tamarack’s Facebook
Page, facebook.com/tamarackcampsfas; or
contact Carly Weinstock at (248) 647-1100 for
more information.

