Art in the Wild 

Animal and Nature Art

Rising K-2nd graders

June 1-5, 2026

9:00am-3:30pm

8 students

Leslie Tharp & Vera Dyson 

Class Description:

In this playful art class, students spend the morning with Leslie, creating animal-inspired artwork using a variety of art processes and materials. Young artists will explore drawing, painting, and sculpture while learning about animals and their unique characteristics. Vera takes over the afternoons integrating environmental science concepts with hands-on visual art experiences. Students explore themes of nature, sustainability, plants and animals, Earth systems, and human impact through developmentally appropriate, process-based art activities. Throughout the day, students will break for outdoor and social time. This class encourages creativity, curiosity, and connection to the natural world while building confidence and fine motor skills through joyful art-making.

All projects are specifically designed to accommodate students of all skill levels and can be adjusted accordingly to meet each student's specific needs. No prior art experience is needed.

Teacher Bios:

Leslie has been teaching for 16 years and is the art teacher at Danforth Junior High in Wimberley ISD. She graduated from Texas State University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, with a specialization in Digital and Photographic Imaging.

Vera is an early childhood educator with nearly 20 years teaching experience. Much of this experience has been as the Lead Guide in a Montessori school. She currently leads the Kindergarten classroom at Tiny Tree School in Wimberley. Vera has also enjoyed teaching yoga and art to both children and adults.

3 Ways to Enroll:

• Full Tuition: Families paying full tuition support all classroom costs and help ensure more courses are released per semester.
• Sustaining pARTner Discount: pARTners contributing $25/month save 25% on youth tuition.
• Tuition Assistance: Full and partial tuition assistance removes barriers, making courses accessible for families experiencing hardship. 

Questions: Please contact Lauren Slubar, Education Manager at lslubar@projectartwimberley.org