Chickens in the Land of Oz

Does this happen to you? You're on a tight deadline, desperately trying to finish a 12'x14' canvas painting of the Emerald City of Oz for your daughter's upcoming 5th grade play when up pops a chicken to inspect the wet green paint.

Didn't think so. This particular chicken seems to be a real art fan as she keeps popping back up to peck the canvas no matter how many times she's removed. Either she doesn't approve or the flowers look so real she's determined to eat them. So far all she's gotten for her trouble is a cap of green paint on her head.

Art Farm is pleased to announce that Jennifer Stowe has joined our team as a natural sciences teacher for our summer camp program. Jennifer holds a Master's in biology from the University of California at San Diego. She has been involved in local nature tours and environmental protection groups for many years. Jennifer notes: "I hike our mountains and trails, surf our waves, and grew up catching tadpoles in our local creeks. During college, I spent one summer in Montana identifying and cataloging native trees and shrubs as part of a conservation effort with the University of Montana's Biological Station."

As Art Farm's naturalist, Jennifer will provide students with a solid introduction to our unique, creek-side woodland habitat and the life it supports. She will instruct students in age-appropriate groupings with an emphasis on hands-on learning. The addition of Jennifer to our staff represents Art Farm's continuing commitment to educate local children about the beauty and importance of our biomes.

Art Farm enrollment continues throughout the summer! Visit our website at www.carlsbadartfarm.com for more information. Enrollments forms for summer camp are under the "Camp" tab. You may also contact us at 760-688-6147.

Chickens For Art's Sake

The American Educator William Lyon Phelps, who served as a professor of English at Yale University from 1901 to 1933, once said: "If I didn't start painting, I would have raised chickens."

Well, we're here to tell you that raising chickens and making art are not mutually exclusive undertakings.


Carlsbad Art Farm currently has 13 free-range chickens that wander through our outdoor studios, foraging for yummy bugs and worms, while students strive to capture their images in paint and charcoal. This group of students - entering second or third grade this coming fall - are showing off portraits of several varieties of chicken which they painted in instructor Kris Finch's class. During breaks, they have fun discovering where the various hens are laying their many-colored eggs.

There are, of course, many other critters at Art Farm for students to observe and render. So far this week, our campers have enjoyed making nature journals, drawing and painting Harry and Mr. Weasley, the alpacas, Picasso the mini-mule, a very large San Diego Alligator Lizard named Lizzy, and our lovely rescue goat, Kandinsky. They have also made "Monster Soap" and "Animal Soap" to give as surprise gifts to their dads on Father's Day (so, shhhh . . .! don't tell). Students have also helped with the feeding of animals.

Carlsbad Art Farm Summer Camp will continue enrolling students as space allows in our weekly camp sessions through mid-August. All enrollment forms and information are available on the website under the "Camp" tab.