Fine Arts

This foundational art course will leave you confident in your ability to draw as you develop as an artist. You will be introduced to a variety of media including pencil, charcoal, pen, watercolor, mixed media, and more. Introduction to the drawing and painting techniques of artists, past and present, will show you the limitless possibilities of the visual arts and help you cultivate your imagination and curiosity. 

This hands-on one-semester course is for the photography lovers out there who want to advance beyond using cell phones to take photos! You will learn the functions of the digital camera so that you can gain the technical knowledge to capture beautiful images while developing your photographic skills and demonstrating creativity and self-expression. You will become proficient at using the industry-standard editing tool Adobe Photoshop.

This one-semester course will introduce you to the prevalent world of graphic design and its application to the commercial world of visual marketing. It will teach you how to generate original ideas to solve numerous design challenges. Using the industry-standard software Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, you will be required to complete professional projects, by means of effective solutions to real-world problems. 

This course is a great introduction to various clay-forming techniques. We will build both sculptural and functional objects using methods including pinching, coiling, as well as slab-building. As you learn various hand-building techniques, you will make cups, bowls, and pitchers, as well as create a mysterious vessel that will challenge your ideas of what clay can be. We will experiment with many approaches to surface design including the use of gloss glazes as well as slip and underglazes.

AP Studio Art is for highly-motivated students who are seriously interested in the study of art. While this course involves significant commitment, the body of work created will be well worth it. It is highly recommended that AP Studio Art students have taken as many art courses at the high school level as possible.

This course is a great introduction to hands-on illustration techniques. Projects will combine drawing and painting with image transfer techniques, including cyanotype and jelli printing. Basic photoshop techniques will enable you to transfer imagery to paper, fabric, wood and even clay! We will create artist books, mixed media pieces and single works of art. The rich and playful history of collage will inspire our work as we learn about early collage artists, as well as contemporary approaches to illustration. 

If you love to make objects, this is the course for you. We will be using a wide range of materials including paper, cardboard, clay, wood, wire and mixed media as we create three-dimensional forms. This “hands on” course will teach you lots of approaches to creating interesting sculptures; including the use of armatures, additive and subtractive techniques as well as use of the scroll saw to create wooden modular sculptures. 

This is a demanding intro college-level course for experienced, highly-motivated, and dedicated photography students looking to develop a 2-D portfolio and earn college credit. Using an inquiry-based approach, you will create a two-part portfolio consisting of (1) selected works and (2) a sustained investigation. The selected works are five digital images that demonstrate skillful synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas with written responses clearly related to the images.

In Painting, you will learn a variety of different techniques using acrylic, gouache, and watercolor paint. Through practice and careful observation of the world around you, you will begin to fine-tune your painting skills so you can convincingly capture your ideas on paper and canvas. Art history will introduce you to different styles and techniques pioneered by painters that have come before us and those that are still working today. See how artists have used color and paint to express mood and emotion. Through still-life, personal photographs, landscapes, and abstraction, you will begin to develop a style of your own.

This course is for highly motivated students who are seriously interested in the study of art and are considering taking the AP Studio course in Drawing or 3-D Design the following year. The curriculum is designed to begin portfolio development and to strengthen skills in the following areas: drawing from observation and imagination, use of a variety of media including pencil, charcoal, pastel, watercolor, acrylic, mixed media, collage, and 3-Dimensional media

This course will introduce students to the creative world of digital animation and design. Using industry standard Adobe software and other hands-on experiences, students will express their creative voices by producing original animations, designing movie posters, creating digitally manipulated images, and more. There will be an emphasis on the fundamentals of animation, including drawing, storyboarding, and timing. The basic principles of design will help the student to create visually exciting images through an understanding of typography, color theory, and layout.

Kath Dailey graduated from Middlebury College in 1997 with a Bachelor's degree in Italian and Visual Art with a concentration in Photography and minor in Art History. She studied Graphic Design and Animation at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Kathy received her Graduate Certificate in Arts Administration from Northeastern University in 2019 and her Master’s of Ed. in Educational Leadership and Management with Director/Supervisor licensure in 2023. Kathy began her teaching career in 1999 and is currently teaching graphic design, digital photography, and A.P. Photography. Within the last ten years, Kathy’s A.P. Photo students have brought home five national medals in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. One of the things Kathy loves the best about her job is running into former students who have become art directors, graphic designers, industrial designers, and photographers, including a world-famous food photographer!

Mrs. Dailey's Website

Susan Gilbert has worked as an art teacher at Reading Memorial High School for over 2 decades. Susan Graduated from Massachusetts College of Art and Design in 1989, receiving a bachelor’s degree in Ceramics and Art Education.  In 2005 Susan Graduated from Cambridge College with a Master’s degree in Education.  Courses that Susan teaches include Foundations of Art, Ceramics, Sculpture, Illustration, and AP in 3-D and AP Drawing and Painting.  Susan is very excited to be teaching a new Course next year called “Making Art, Partnering with Community”.   Susan has been advisor for Art Club since 2015; where students work to build community on local as well as Global projects.   Susan’s favorite part of teaching is seeing her students  develop their own voice as artists. Susan strongly believes that  creating a safe place for students is really important in an Art class; where what students are creating is visible.  

Mrs. Gilbert's Website

After graduating from RISD in 1996 with a BFA in Industrial Design and a minor in Painting, Mike Radvany worked in a variety of art related fields including vintage poster restoration, graphic design, Art installation, and more. All the while he has continued painting and printmaking, his two artistic passions. In 2004, Mike earned his MA in Art Ed at City College of New York and began his career as an art teacher at RMHS. Mike believes in a positive and inclusive learning environment that encourages students to embrace their individuality and explore the endless possibilities of their creativity. He aims to instill not only technical skills but a love for the artistic process. In the past 20 years, Mike has had the pleasure of teaching hundreds of students.  Many have become professional artists, illustrators, and graphic designers. Currently Mike teaches Foundations in Art, Painting, Figure Studio, Studio Art, Graphic Design, and Animation 

Mr. Radvany's Website