Danica Art Camp - Update now accepting applications!

As previously mentioned, this art camp is a great way to get your child out and about doing art with a wonderful island artist - Danica David.  Her camp is now accepting applications!

Here is a bio on Danica:

Danica M. David is a St. Croix -born artist. Her brilliant Caribbean and religious culture are depicted in her work, which she calls Contemporary Folk Art.During her junior year at the St. Croix Central High School, she began studying art. Upon graduation, she studied Fashion Design and Business at International Fine Arts College in Florida and received an Associate of Arts degree.

Filling the wall space in her apartment was her motivation to paint when she returned home from college. After several years of painting part time, she opened Danica Art Gallery/ Studio in 2001. The gallery is located at 22B Strand Street, Christiansted, St. Croix, U. S. Virgin Islands. The gallery/studio showcases local original art, sculptures, prints, pottery, and jewelry, hand painted furniture, cards, and art clocks. Danica is always searching for exciting local art to display in her gallery.

Danica is also involved in various outreach programs, in her community. She teaches art to children and senior citizens. “I love what I am doing," she said." The experience of teaching art and connecting with others gives me so much to thank God for."

She enjoys teaching immensely. During the past ten years, Danica has been working full-time as an art teacher at the Eulalie R. Rivera Elementary school in Frederiksted, St. Croix U.S.V. I.. She received her BFA in Graphic Design from American Intercontinental University in Illinois. Currently, Danica is pursuing a Masters in Art Education at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

The Creative Adventure Art Program will run from June 20th - July 25th from 8:00am - 3:00pm.  Students ages 7 -13 explore media such as pottery, painting, drawing, photography, drama, and community service.  Some of the islands top artists teach the students and allow them to explore their creativity.  Space is limited.  See Danica Art Studio for the application and more info. 

If you or your child wants to do this program, please let me know as we might be able to get a group discount!  

Buck Island 50th Anniversary Exhibit

Did you know that there is an archeological site on Buck Island? Did you know there are two (2) sunken slave ships off of Buck Island? Nope, neither did I until recently!  


Learn more about Buck Island, come to the Buck Island 50th Anniversary Exhibit.  It is open 7 days a week at the Christiansted fort from 8:30-4:30. Entrance is FREE all next week, no admission, to the fort for National Parks week!!! Great time to take the kids to see the interesting history of Buck Island, including information about early inhabitants and their fishing/other tools.

Danica David Summer Art Camp

Danica David, local artist, hosts a Summer Art Camp at Manor school.  The camp runs from June 19, 2012- July 14, 2012. This is one of the best art camps on island.  The students get to work with many different types of media from drawing, painting, pottery, costume making, etc.  The cost is $225 per child, BUT if we get a group going, then the cost drops to $200 per child.  Look for more information such as registration forms, dates etc in a later post or you can email Danica directly at gallery@danicaartvi.com

Kiki poised to visit homeschoolers!

Kiki, of Kiki and Flaming Gypsies is poised to visit the homeschoolers on Friday the 27th of April at the YWAM base.  She will show off her hula hooping and poi dancing skills a little after 8:10am.  She will offer instruction, so bring your hula hoops and get ready to dance!  We will also discuss classes and pricing for either this summer or the fall.

Earth Day/Eco Fair Followup

Learning about the marine environment and
it's creatures while playing games.

Yesterday, we had the pleasure of taking some homechoolers to the Earth Day/Eco Fair activities at the St. George Village Botanical Gardens.  The students arrived at about 9:00 and got right to work viewing the various displays and taking part in activities.  There were displays and activities from over 20 presenters.  Some of these included, Tilapia farming, the East End Marine Park, solar energy, erosion, the Department of Public Works, bird watching, learning about bush with Ms. Veronica Gordon, Naturalista Ras Lamumba, Olasee Davis, Reef Jam, US Fish and Wildlife, the National Park Service, CZM, the Nature Conservancy, VI Waste Management, etc.  There were  games, singing, tours, hands on activities, etc.  It was a VERY well run program with many private and public schools participating as well.

Learning about Bush and its properties.

One of the presenters was Ms. Veronica Gordon who is better know as the Bush Lady.  She taught  the children about the local bush and it's uses.  We learned that the Annatto Tree has many uses, two of which are flavoring in cooking, as as a lipstick substitute! She has a wealth of knowledge and expect to see a field trip offering with her in the future.  We also learned that the Kapok tree's seeds were used for stuffing pillows and as filler in life jackets in day gone past.  The sausage tree gets its name from the sausage shaped seeds pods that hang down from it's branches.

Our children were able to listen, absorb, and answer questions posed to them. Yeay for homeschoolers!  If you missed this event, never fear.  This is a yearly event and will be repeated next Spring.  

Art Classes for Fall

Cindy Male has offered to teach our children art! For those of you who don't know Cindy, she has many, many, many years of experience teaching art here on St. Croix, she is an amazing artist who works with both fabric, paper, and other media.  Visit her site to learn more about her.  She is more than willing to work with our homeschoolers on a weekly basis. Her cost is $10 per child per class with a max of 6 children in a class. The classes will be broken up into upper and lower school.  This will only happen if we get a 6 children in each class.  Times and locations to be decided upon later.   In order to make this a more structured event, she is asking that you pay on a monthly basis so that she will know how many children to expect each week and so that all the participants are committed and it is fair to everyone who signs up for this great opportunity.    If you are interested in doing this, please email me and I will keep a running list of who wants this for the fall.

Upcoming Events

Kiki and the Flaming Gypsies will be giving our homeschoolers a Poi and Hooping demo at a future PE Day at the YWAM base behind the old Diamond Cinema.  Look for updates and get ready to mark your calendars!  Kiki has also offered to give classes and will get back to us on pricing.  This is a very cool sport and one that I know would be great fun to learn how to do.

Also on the calendar in the near future is a field trip to view the local Taino artifacts and reproduction pieces at the Taino Museum in Cane Bay. Date, details, and time TBA.

Need a music class? Ms. Elizabeth Robb gives Piano Classes. She gives classes to ALL ages and abilities.  Contact her directly at 340-773-7684 or via email at Earz.vi@gmail.com  Her fall semester begins September 1, 2012. If you are a returning student you MUST confirm your continuation by May 1, 2012.

How about a field trip to Whim Plantation, the Lawaetz Family Museum, and the VI Sustainable Farm Institute? - it can be arranged. Email me to tell me you are interested and I will set one up :)  The kids can learn a little about our local history, learn how to farm sustainably, and see the rainforest while we are at it.

Learn to make rugs at the Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts in Frederiksted. The class is FREE. Call 340-772-2622, taught by Daphne McIntosh-Rodriguez.

Eco Fair at the St. George Botanical Gardens

If you have a 3 - 6th grader, please don't forget to sign up for the Eco Fair and Litter Stomp held at the St. George Village Botanical Gardens on April 17th and 18th.  This event is sponsored by the St. Croix Environmental Association, and VIWMA(Virgin Islands Waste Management Authority).  This year's theme is sustainability.  There will be many activities for all ages. Please email Lynnea at SEA to sign up.