DEL MAR — After several years of teaching community art classes out of their Carmel Valley garden studio, the Wyman family is partnering with the Surf and Turf Tennis Center to offer more art opportunities to local youth.
Surf and Turf Art Club, run by Summer and Jason Wyman, began operating this summer out of the tennis center property at 15555 Jimmy Durante Blvd across from the Del Mar Fairgrounds. The club offers drop-in sessions throughout the week for all age groups to explore artistic disciplines including painting, drawing, charcoal, multimedia and 3D sculpture.
The art club builds on Summer Wyman’s community art program, which she has run out of her garden at her Carmel Valley home since 2020, known as Summer Wyman Fine Art Studio.
When schools shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic, the couple began hosting art gatherings and lessons for people of all ages, taught by them and other local instructors. Over the years, the program has grown and become a wonderful thing for their family, Summer Wyman said.
“I think what really sets us apart is just really the atmosphere that we nurture, both here at our garden studio and here at Surf and Turf Art Club. We’re really wanting to create a space that is kind and welcoming and nurturing, and a place where people from everywhere will come and want to share creativity and a love for the arts,” she said.
The expansion to Del Mar began because Surf and Turf Tennis Center was seeking a community partner that could offer art instruction to youth participating in tennis programs during the summer. The partnership was wildly successful during summer camps, and moving forward into the school year, the Wymans will continue operating the art club out of a shared building on the tennis center property every weekday afternoon.
“They were incredibly generous and welcoming,” Summer Wyman said of the tennis center.
Tennis center manager J.Z. Keegan said this partnership gives families the opportunity to participate in tennis and art programming all in one place. In the past, the center has also partnered with others to teach skills such as coding to local youth.
“We’re really excited that we can also add enrichment such as the Surf and Turf Art Club to help them with their creative side. It’s a one-stop drop-off, which is really cool,” Keegan said.
Summer Wyman studied fine art at the Art Center College of Design and also obtained a master’s in education from UC San Diego. In addition to working as a professional artist and running her fine art studio, she also teaches art to elementary school students at Elevate Charter School.
She also previously taught art for five years as a STEAM+ teacher in the Del Mar Union School District. Jason Wyman also has a teaching background, previously working as an art teacher in the Oceanside Unified School District, and has been drawing for years.
The two also have a young daughter who keeps them busy outside of their artistic pursuits.
Through Summer Wyman Fine Art Studio, they focus on creating a space where people feel safe taking creative risks, no matter their skill level. While people can drop in to the art club, they hope they will start coming every week.
“We’re encouraging people to sign up as a weekly part of their routine. That’s why we call it an art club — it’s the community feel,” Jason Wyman said.
The Wymans said the garden studio has been a huge blessing to their family, and they are looking forward to working with even more community members at the Surf and Turf Art Club.
“We’re just really excited to expand our business and be a part of the community, and share our love for the arts with our fellow neighbors in northern San Diego,” Summer Wyman said
Surf and Turf Art Club offers drop-in sessions for various age groups. The Kids Art Club for ages 5 to 8 and the Youth Art Club for ages 9 to 12 are offered Monday to Friday, and the Art Club Studio for ages 13 and up and adults is on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
A complete schedule of club times and prices is available online at socalartclasses.com.
Participants do not need to be enrolled in the Surf and Turf Tennis Center to join the Surf and Turf Art Club. However, Keegan said the goal is to provide youth with opportunities to try both art and tennis, if they choose.
