For Immediate Release
Contact:  Gina Stiles at 904-757-4463, ext. 210 or 904-655-3632

MANGA - New Japanese Cartoon Art Class Available at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

Art Expert to Teach on March 30th and 31st

February 9, 2009, Jacksonville, FL - The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens announced a new workshop, Manga, open to children ages 12 to 17, during the Zoo’s Spring Break Camp.  On March 30th and 31st, students will join manga artist, Stevee Jay, for an introduction to this Japanese art form.  For extra inspiration, all students will visit the new Asian Bamboo Garden and Komodo Dragon exhibit and get up close and hands on with a variety of animals and artifacts.  Each one-day workshop is from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the PepsiCo Foundation Education Campus at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens.  Students may register for one or both days, and class size is limited to the first 20 students to register. 

“Manga literally translated means ‘whimsical pictures’ and is an art medium read by people of all ages worldwide,” said Kelliann Whitney, director of education at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens.  “In the United States manga publishers release 1300 – 1400 titles annually with the most popular form in comic books.  If you are familiar with Pokémon, Naruto, or Bakugan, then you are familiar with manga.  The new Asian Bamboo Garden and Komodo Dragon exhibits inspire new programs, and we want to expose our youth to uniquely Asian cultural experiences.  This workshop offers pre-teens and teens an interesting and fun way to learn about this very popular Japanese art form.”

Workshop fee is $40 per day for members and $45 for non-members.  Extended Care is available from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and from 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Fees are $4 per day for before care and $8 per day for after care, or $10 per day for both before and after care.  For more information or to register, go to http://www.jacksonvillezoo.org/education/daycamps.asp.

For over 90 years, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has been dedicated to inspiring the discovery and appreciation of wildlife through innovative experience in a caring environment. Starting in 1914 with an animal collection that consisted of one red deer fawn, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has grown to house more than 1,400 rare and exotic animals and over 1,000 unique plant species. The Jacksonville Zoo is a non-profit organization and is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).  It is open year-round, seven days a week, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and is located on Jacksonville’s north side at 370 Zoo Parkway, one-half mile east from I-95.  For more information on the Zoo, log on to www.jacksonvillezoo.org.

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