Fine Arts Instruction

Art 1 : Drawing and Painting Fundamentals

 Art 1 teaches students from grades 9 - 12 basic drawing and painting skills and techniques, as well as about the social practices and functions of Art itself. Through scaffolded learning exercises, students gain autonomy as artist and as creative thinkers. The course begins with right brain drawing exercises as students learn drawing techniques such as the quadrant method, the shape method and using negative spaces to practice looking closely and drawing their observations accurately. Students then learn shading and perspective techniques to create the illusion of depth in their artwork.  Then, veering away from realism,  students learn about color theory and abstract art as an alternative practice. Students experiment in a range of mediums from colored pencil, oil pastels, watercolors and acrylic paint to create unique compositions. By the end of the course, students can successfully plan and create their own personal artworks drawing from a wide range of new skill-sets and techniques. 

In Crafts 1, students learn a variety of art-making techniques and processes using a wide range of materials to incorporate into unique artworks on an underlying  theme of their choice. The course begins with an overview of what is" Craft Art" versus "Fine Art, as students conduct research on Craft Artists and possible themes for their own body of work. Students undergo a series of brainstorming activities on paper to generate ideas for future projects in their sketchbooks and in slide presentations. Going forward, students learn about and practice techniques and processes and then design their own artworks on their theme of choice as part of their own portfolio. Students learn how to research and plan their own personal artworks from start to finish in but not limited to the following mediums: Collage, paper-quilling,  found object construction, weaving, needle felting, embroidery and print-making. At the end of the course, students create a digital portfolio to demonstrate their skill-sets and achievements. 

In Crafts 2, students continue to learn new Craft Art  techniques and processes to further develop their portfolios. Students conduct independent research on contemporary Craft Art practices and artists to inspire their own projects ideas. At the beginning of course, Student are introduced to new Craft Art forms such as Book Arts, Polymer Clay, Batik, WoodBurning and Printmaking  to research and eventually design their own artworks in each area. Students are then responsible for planning their own inter-disciplinary projects incorporating new and old techniques and processes from Crafts 1 and Crafts 2. By the end of the course, Crafts 2 students can successful research and design Craft Art projects in multiple disciplines as demonstrated by a strong digital portfolio. 

I teach hand-building and pottery wheel techniques. 

I teach digital media using Adobe, Mac and other software applications.