Carlsbad Art Farm – A Hidden Gem Discovered!

San Diego Bargain Mama | 05/12/2012 | 0 Comments

I have always believed that there is more fun to be found in our own backyards than we have yet to discover, but to uncover that a hidden gem, namely the Carlsbad Art Farm, is just minutes from my house was a true treat! The Art Farm offers programs for children to interact with live animals and connect with nature while engaging in an outdoor art studio experience. I took my daughter and her friend there recently for them to try a class out for themselves; they were welcomed to participate in a lesson that focuses on drawing the internal anatomy of the horse, followed by a lesson focusing on the external anatomy. They were given a tour of the farm, were able to learn about and feed the animals, were given a break to have a snack and play a bit, and also have time for a fun nature walk. What a lovely retreat and a fabulous kid-friendly ambiance for exploration and creativity!

Located on 10 coastal acres of secluded woodland habitat near the Village of Carlsbad, “Art Farm” combines outdoor studio art instruction, farm animal encounters, and natural science enrichment for students in Grades 2 through 8. Children are taught how to care for and respect the planet, animals, create art, explore crafts and much more. The warm staff makes everyone feel at home, providing a structured, yet very relaxed outdoor classroom/camp feel!

Drawing by an Art Camp Student

Perrin Weston Coman, the center’s founder and director, studied studio art at the Art Academy of San Francisco and her husband, Chase Coman, was a former wildlife biologist. Their daughter, Emerson, a 13-year-old animal/art enthusiast and was a wonderful assistant, always looking after the kids and assisting the instructor. Emerson, along with her friend, used her own creative juices to virtually take you on a little tour of Carlsbad Art Farm.

Art Farm offers year-round Saturday morning art classes for students in grades 2-8. They also have summer classes filling up, and have shared that they have decreased the fee for those classes by $100 this summer.