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A boutique art journaling experience for ages 9-12.

The Creative Expression Studio: Summer Camps

Where preteens create freely, express fully, and leave feeling like themselves

This is not your typical art camp. Big things are happening inside preteens, hormonally, emotionally, and socially. They’re figuring out who they are, navigating friendships, and growing up in a world that never slows down, and sometimes talking about it is just too hard. I help preteens find tools to process big emotions through creative expression, a way to say something without words. But we also just have fun, because the whole point is to make art feel exciting again, not intimidating. It’s not about being perfect or being an artist. That belief is exactly what stops most kids from creating at all. The focus is always process over perfection.

Each day, campers explore new techniques and then choose whether to bring it into a layered journal page or a release for whatever they’re feeling that day. The next morning, after some grounding, we reflect on the day before with optional sharing. Along the way, they discover their own creative instincts and build real connection with each other in a small, home-like studio space.

Each week includes a bonus take-home project, and ends with a field trip to the Phoenix Art Museum, where campers discover that what they made belongs in the world of art too.

The tools they learn here don’t stay in the studio. These are simple, intuitive exercises they can return to on their own whenever things feel like too much. Every camper gets their own art journal to use all week and take home at the end.

Dates:

  • Session 1: June 15 – 19

  • Session 2: July 6 - 10

  • Session 3: July 13 – 17

  • Session 4: July 27 - 31

  • Session 5: August 10 - 14

Ages: 9–12 *Designed for ages 9–12, but 8 and 13 year olds are welcome too.

Location:

Monday–Thursday: Downtown Phoenix - 115 W McDowell Rd Friday: Phoenix Art Museum - 1625 N Central Ave

Hours:

Monday through Thursday from 9am – 2pm & Friday from 10am - 2pm

Max 8 students per session

Art journal included. Theirs to keep and continue at home

$350 per week / Deposit option available

Paying with ESA funds? Use code ESA at checkout. Upon registration, you will receive an invoice to use for ClassWallet. Your spot is not held until we receive confirmation that the ClassWallet invoice was submitted.

Coming This September: Fall Friday Art Journaling Studios

The same therapeutic art-making process as our sold-out summer camps, built into a consistent weekly routine. We combine raw multimedia art journaling and a supportive environment to give kids ages 9–12 tangible tools to navigate big emotions.

Homeschool Elective Studio

🗓️ Early Afternoon Block

Reserved exclusively for homeschool & hybrid students. Seamlessly integrates into your weekly daytime curriculum as a high-quality arts and social elective block.

After-School Studio

🗓️ Late Afternoon Block

Open to all traditional, public, and private school students. A screen-free space to unwind after school, process the week, and reset before the weekend.

👉 [Notify Me When Fall Registration Opens]

Meet the Instructor

Aimee Combs, Founder of Lotus Creative Healing

I'm a mom, certified art teacher, creative depth coach and art therapy practitioner currently teaching art to PreK–6th graders in Phoenix. I believe in using creative expression to help kids grow in confidence and emotional wellness and my message is always the same: art doesn't have to be perfect. It can be messy, freeing and a whole lot of fun.

From one parent to another, I'm not just a teacher. I'm also a mom to a preteen who needs consistent emotional regulation support. I created these programs out of love and necessity, knowing my own child needed this and that other families would benefit too.

I bring a unique blend of education, experience, and heart to every class I teach. I hold a:

  • Bachelor’s Degree in Art Studies

  • K–12 Art Teaching Certificate

  • Certified Art Therapy Practitioner credential

  • Creative Depth Coach Certificate

  • Registered Yoga Instructor Certification

In addition to creating our youth programs I teach art at a hybrid school for homeschoolers on elective days, leading weekly classes for grades PreK–6th. I've also taught a variety of afterschool programs including one at a school for gifted children and served as the lead art director for a school art auction fundraiser.

My approach has always been the same whether I'm in a classroom or running a camp. Meet kids where they are, take the pressure off and watch what happens when they feel free to create. Creativity belongs to every child. That's what drives this work.

Read more about my journey here.

A Typical Day:

9:00–9:30: Arrive and settle in gently. We ease into the day with calming practices, then reflect on what we created the day before, what it felt like, what it meant, with sharing always optional

9:30–10:30: First creative exploration. Guided techniques in watercolor, collage, ink, and more. No experience needed, just curiosity.

10:30–11:00: Continued exploration & creative work, with snacks available anytime they need a break.

11:00–12:30: Second creative exploration plus an optional separate weekly craft project.

12:30–1:00: Lunch break with a show campers vote on together. Please pack a lunch

1:00–2:00: More time to dive deeper into today’s techniques or the weekly take-home craft, camper’s choice.

2:00–2:15: Clean up and wrap up the day.

Throughout the day expect spontaneous dance party breaks with a curated music playlist built by campers and somatic art-making moments woven in whenever the energy calls for it. Some days will have open studio time where campers follow their own creative instincts. Every week brings something different.

  • CREATIVITY

    Your child will explore a range of art techniques and develop their own unique creative voice by trusting their instincts and expressing what’s authentically theirs. No experience needed. No perfection expected.

  • GROUNDING

    Every session begins with gentle movement and grounding practices to help your child arrive, slow down, and regulate emotions before creating. We create from a calm and present place.

  • CONNECTION

    Kids become part of a small intimate community of 8 where every voice matters and every creation is celebrated. They’ll also connect with themselves through guided journaling prompts.

  • GROWTH

    Beyond art skills, your child builds confidence, emotional awareness, and lifelong tools for self expression, including a personal art journal they take home to keep creating.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Camp runs from 9:00am – 2:00pm Monday through Thursday and 10:00am - 2:00pm on Fridays

  • Please send your child with:

    • A water bottle

    • A packed lunch (nut-free please)

    Extra water will be available on-site.

  • Camp will be held in a private studio space in downtown Phoenix with on-site parking.

  • Parents/guardians are required to sign their child in and out each day to ensure safety and smooth transitions.

  • On the final day, students will meet at Phoenix Art Museum for a special field trip experience.

    • Parents will drop off and pick up directly at the museum

    • Students should bring a packed lunch and water

  • No prior experience is needed. This camp is designed for all skill levels, with a focus on exploration, creativity, and self-expression.

  • This is not formal therapy. However, the experience is intentionally designed to support emotional expression, self-awareness, and confidence through creative practices.

  • This camp is especially supportive for children who:

    • Enjoy being creative or want to explore art in a new way

    • Benefit from a calm, structured environment

    • Are sensitive, expressive, or imaginative

    • Struggle with perfectionism or confidence

  • Each week is limited to 8 students to maintain a boutique, personalized experience.

  • Yes! I’m an approved vendor through Arizona’s ESA program, and I accept payments via ClassWallet.

    For more information, click here.

  • Full tuition of $375 is due at registration. Cancellations made 7 or more days before session start receive a full refund minus a $50 cancellation fee. Cancellations less than 7 days before are non-refundable. Sessions are transferable to another available date with 7 days notice.

Questions About Camp? I’d love to help.

Please fill out the form and I’ll get back to you within 24 hours.