AGAP’s first-ever summer Art Camp was held June 16-22 in Newport, Rhode Island,
at the historic family home of our founder, Marguerite (“Margy”) Slocum Quinn. Ten
students and almost as many teachers, volunteers, and staff traveled by planes, trains,
and automobiles to join art teacher Paul Mohr and his assistant Genie Pell. Each day,
Paul provided 5 solid hours of intense instruction and practice that both challenged and
enlightened every student from beginners to accomplished veterans.

Paul has been on the faculty of “The Drawing Studio” in Tucson, Arizona for the past 10
years. He comes from a science and architecture background which prepared him well
for his “nuts and bolts” approach to drawing. AGAP students and teachers alike learned
sound basic principles of drawing and their work reflected significant improvement over
the course of the week. Paul taught the students about form, shape, perspective, light,
and shadows and how to capture these features in their own drawings.

At the week’s end we took a day trip to visit the Boston Museum of Fine Art and the
Isabella Stewart Gardiner Museum. With Paul as our guide, we examined work by
Rembrandt, John Singer Sargent, and other great artists and saw how they had used
many of the same techniques we had been practicing in our lessons.

Since all work and no play makes for a one-time camp, we also provided several fun
trips and free time. Three trips to the local beach were among the highlights even
though the temperature of the water could not have been more than 65 degrees!

Each morning and evening we enjoyed great meals and conversations with one another
and with visitors and friends who dropped in. These meals were followed by stirring
devotionals led by Tony Lowery, Patricia Moten, and Kenny Littlejohn. All in all, it
was a wonderful week of recognizing, enjoying, and developing the many gifts that
God loves to lavish on his children. Many thanks to all who donated to the Eugene
Quinn Memorial Fund–a fund dedicated to providing special trips and other enrichment
opportunities to our AGAP family.

For previous AGAP news posts, click here.