Art Campers visit Dinosaur Museum and listen to Australian Children's author.

This portfolio cover proved to be a winner.

Wednesday, June 22, found the third week art campers involved in much activity as they worked on their Viking ideas, dragons, portfolios, color, and a really special event, the trip to Dinosaur Journey located just south of Interstate 70 on highway 340.

Mike Perry, curator of the museum was kind enough to give the 45 kids the chance to say hello to good old T-Rex, the museum’s latest robotic dinosaur who will be sending chills and thrills to many a visitor this summer. The campers want to thank Mr. Perry so much for this opportunity.

Then, as icing on the cake, the group was able to meet and share their fun with an Australian children’s book author as she read several of her books that she also illustrated and sing songs with her wonderful Australian accent. Her friend Pauline Lyttle introduced her to the audience with some wonderful antidotes.

Roey Fitzpatrick, the author and songwriter, was born in Brisbourne, Australia. As the baby of the family, she inherited the urge for travel from her older sister who was in the Navy and had visited many parts of the world. Having an older brother who lived and worked in London, she was able to live there and attend Oxford University where she studied publishing.

One of her favorite places, she noted, was Ireland, where she worked in the publishing industry.

“I just find Ireland so fascinating,” she said. “It is such a great place for one’s imagination to get in gear.”

Attending Arizona State University, she net her husband, Jim, also an author.

Her love of books grew up with her as she learned to love A.A. Mills and Hillary Belloc.

She mentioned reading “Cautionary Tales,” a spoof on naughty children, which she found very entertaining.

While working for a science magazine for older children and adults, she was asked to write and do illustrations to add a flavor of humor to the publication. And, thus was born

the idea to write and illustrate her own books after having illustrated the works of others for thirty years.

This proved lucky for the Fruita Art Campers, because she gave her program for Dino Journey. And thank you Dino Journey for letting us meet T-Rex.

2D

Viking boats were created in clay.

Lunch is a very necessary element
of any camp.

It's T-Rex and friends!

2D

Is T-Rex telling the viewers his story?

A dinosaur heart was this big?

These fish lived back when?

And the entertainment is a lady with a great
accent.

2D

Her friend, Pauline, taught the audience how
to play a bag pipe as they participated in
Roey Fitxpatrick's opening ballad.

And...the audience did very well on their "bagpipes."

Reading from one of her books,
Roey told how these two
dinosaurs fell in love.

This youngster loved the story.

And so did this gal.

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