Middle School

Middle School Art: This year your student will be studying American art and experiencing many mediums while they develop their skills in drawing, painting, ceramics, sculpture, printmaking, and digital art.

Middle School Elective: This year the first Middle School Elective will focus on ceramics- both hand building and wheel throwing.

High School 

Foundations of Art: Foundations of Art provides an introduction to the elements and principles of design, which are essential for creating visually engaging work in any medium. This year-long course offers various projects in the core art disciplines such as drawing, painting, ceramics, printmaking, and sculpture. Open to all high school.

Exploration of Art: In this year-long course students move into four intensive quarters studying drawing, painting, ceramics, and sculpture. Open to Sophomore and Juniors.

Quarter 1- Drawing 1 focuses on the development of drawing skills. Students learn “to see” and observe small changes in value and shape, which allow them to translate three-dimensional forms onto a two-dimensional piece of paper. Exercises and projects will train the eye to notice small nuances and changes, allowing not only for growth in drawing but also in other mediums. Students will work on a variety of exercises and projects advancing from still life to models, and using a variety of mediums, including charcoal, pencil, pen, and pastel.

Quarter 2- in Painting 1, students will learn the technical skills required for painting. Students will work in acrylic mediums and learn the elements of color theory and composition. Students will learn the techniques associated with portraying value, the painting of light, and three-dimensional forms.

Quarter 3- in Ceramics 1, students will learn hand-building and wheel-throwing techniques. Students will practice slab construction, coil building, pinching, and throwing. While using these techniques, students will learn the properties of clay and fundamental practices of glazing and firing.

Quarter 4- in Sculpture Studio 1, students develop three dimensional skills and concepts, learning to problem solve and adjust as they create three dimensional forms. Students will learn how to work with wood, metal, and mold/casting processes. This course is not limited to specific materials and may require investigation into new materials, techniques, and concepts as students problem solve and create their own conceptual ideas.

High School Elective Classes

Photography/ Digital Art and Illustration (Semester: 1 credit: 1 day/week extended day)

Part 1:Photography 1

Photography 1 teaches students how a camera works and the fundamentals of how to use DSLR (digital single len reflex) cameras. Students will learn principles of exposure: aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. They will gain experience using the photographic triangle to capture light and movement.

Part 2: Digital Art & Illustration

In Digital Art and Illustration, students will learn how to create digital illustrations using Procreate on an iPad. The course will teach students how to use the key features of digital illustration, including brushes, color, and blending and will offer them experience using layers, a key characteristic of digital art. Through this course, students will gain familiarity with the interface and program that are changing the illustration world.

Ceramics Studio (Semester: 1 credit 1 day/week extended day)

In Ceramics Studio, students will continue to build upon processes and techniques learned in Foundations of Art and/or Exploration of Art, working on the complexity of their forms on the wheel and hand built sculptures.  In this afer school course, students will have more flexability to design and complete projects of their choosing.