Art at Orchard Hill School

The South Windsor Public Schools Visual Arts Program is designed to expand students' means of expression and communication, stimulate the imagination, and provide insight into the contributions of others. We strive to stimulate other areas of learning in all students while providing opportunities to identify and cultivate artistic skill sets and capabilities. The art program will provide each student with:

• Instruction in the basic elements and principles of art
• Inspiration for his/her creative and aesthetic needs
• Instruction in skills and techniques using a variety of media with experiences in all dimensional modes
• Methods for increasing perceptual and motor skill abilities utilizing a variety of approaches
• An understanding of the role of the artist - both present and past
• The means to interrelate art experiences with other academic areas of study
• An opportunity for interaction with other students’ abilities and ideas
• Opportunities for public exhibition and competitions on the local, state and national level

Our curriculum is aligned with The National Core Arts Standards, a framework that delivers the educational nuance of standards in four artistic processes: Creating, Presenting, Responding and Connecting. These standards are designed to guide the delivery of arts education in the classroom with new ways of thinking, learning, and creating.

CONNECTING. Relating artistic ideas and work with personal meaning and external context

CREATING. Conceiving and developing new ideas and work

PRESENTING. Interpreting and sharing artistic work

RESPONDING. Understanding and evaluating how the arts convey meaning

Here are a few works of art by some of my favorite artists. Click on the artists' names to watch an interview with each.