Students practice crafts in Art in the Park

Seven middle school students spent part of a recent morning creating "name totems" using cut paper designs in Wheaton's Adams Park as part of an Art in the Park program sponsored by the DuPage Art League.

The ambience of the park next to the Wheaton Public Library combined with pleasant weather to provide instructor Nancy Kenney an opportunity to teach students to draw, cut and create their designs.

The 75-minute classes for youngsters ages 11 to 14, which ran through Friday, also gave students the chance to tackle a variety of other art projects, including watercolor painting, drawing and weaving.

"It's nice for the kids to be in the park doing art and not cooped up in a classroom," said Kenney, who teaches the weeklong camp.

Keira Ohanian, 12, of Lombard, set up her workspace on a picnic bench next to her friend Addison Gill.

"It's nice to be outside because I feel inspired by all these nice things around us, " she said.