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Nathan Biancardi, the camp/studio director, gives pointers to Dahlia Daiber, 9.

Patricia Cummings gives instructions to her granddaughter, Aubrey Cummings, 10, of Chesterton.

VALPARAISO — Kate Wiesjahn is serious about pursuing an art career.

That determination didn't stop the 10-year-old Valparaiso girl from having fun at the recent All About Art camp held at the Painted Palette Studio.

"I want to go into art," Kate said.

With a brush in one hand and paint palette in the other, Kate paused while putting the finishing touches on a painting she was working on in a grassy, open area outside Painted Palette Studio.

"This is my first time at this camp, and I really like it," she said.

Instilling the love of art and creativity in youngsters like Kate is what it's all about for All About Art camp director Nathan Biancardi.

"My hope for this is that over time we can make this bigger and we can 'grow' more people," Biancardi said.

The All About Art Camp experience has come full circle for Biancardi.

He attended the camp when he was in fourth and fifth grade. Now the 27-year-old is in charge of the art classes and art instruction held at Painted Palette Studio, which he opened a year ago for private classes.

The All About Art Camp was started in 2003 as a not-for-profit founded by art instructors Patricia Cummings, Jane Lohmeyers and Jody Nix.

The camp flourished and was expanded, with the assistance of grants, but was halted for two years due to COVID-19 concerns.

The former founders wanted to retire, so Nathan Biancardi and his parents, Carole and Andrew Biancardi, agreed to take on the camp for the first time this year.

"The camp is a legacy; we couldn't say no to art educators who founded it over 20 years ago and operated it at Valparaiso University," Carole Biancardi said.

The camp features a different theme each day. On a recent Wednesday, students learned about Vincent van Gogh.

After the lesson, students at the camp went outside to paint their own van Gogh painting perspective, whether it was of trees, a building or the parking lot.

"The theme is 'Food and Faces.' We created a curriculum so they would have fun while learning art technique, movements, artists and painting and drawing media and techniques," Carole Biancardi said.

Cummings and Loymeyers recalled starting the art camp in 2003 and its expansion with the assistance of grants, including one from the Indiana Arts Commission.

Nathan Biancardi was one of their first campers.

"He was an artist the day he was born. It's so great to see him blossom," Cummings said.

Fiona Estridge, a kindergartner at Northview Elementary School, adds her touches to a mural painted by more than 4,000 artists.

Jessica Corral, a Flint Lake Elementary School art teacher, helps fellow artists add their touches to one of 16 panels of a mural to be permanently displayed at Valparaiso City Hall.

Valparaiso City Administrator Mike Jessen adds his touch to a mural featuring all of Valparaiso's schools and some scenic sights in the city.

Jonathan Ray adds paint to one of the panels of a mural to be on permanent display at Valparaiso City Hall later this month.

Valparaiso Creative Council members Linda Eyermann and Megan Marolf and City Administrator Mike Jessen discuss the mural effort led by Flint Lake Elementary School art teacher Jessica Corral and sponsored by Urschel Laboratories, the John W. Anderson Foundation and the Valparaiso Creative Council.

An estimated 4,500 artists, from young children to adults, have contributed to the mural to be displayed at Valparaiso City Hall.

Kate Estridge, of Valparaiso, and her daughter Fiona Estridge help paint a mural to be displayed at Valparaiso City Hall.

Valparaiso City Administrator Mike Jessen and some of the key artists stand behind one panel of the collaborative effort to be on permanent display at City Hall. The unveiling is May 21.

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Nathan Biancardi knew early on in life he wanted to pursue an art career. Drawing people, the first step to his later signature caricature style, was his forte.

Nathan Biancardi, the camp/studio director, gives pointers to Dahlia Daiber, 9.

Patricia Cummings gives instructions to her granddaughter, Aubrey Cummings, 10, of Chesterton.

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