High School Visual Arts

The Visual Arts Program aims to develop the creativity and aesthetic awareness of all students by offering a wide range of two- and three-dimensional media at beginning and advanced levels. Students are encouraged to develop advanced skills and personal expression in areas of their choice. Through discussion, critiques and journal writing, students develop a vocabulary that enables them to reflect on their own work in the context of art, past and present. All courses run the duration of the academic year. Visual Arts students collect and organize a portfolio selection of their best works. At the end of the year, the Annual Art Show, attended by the community at large, reflects the students’ artistic accomplishments.

Students with more expertise pursue artwork of greater complexity while sharing their knowledge with less experienced peers. In class, student-to-student mentoring opportunities are highly valued. Community service, in the form of teaching assistantships or other arts related services, is also available.

Those students interested in pursuing art in college are guided in the preparation of a quality portfolio and are encouraged to concentrate in more than one medium within the choices offered from the visual arts curriculum.

Architectural Design:

This course involves a study of drafting and building architectural models. Technical drawing, an introduction to the Vizio Computer Program and model making techniques are explored. Floor plans and models are accurately drawn and built to scale. The use of space in function and design are an integral part of each student’s plan. An historical survey of architectural styles is covered. Field trips to architectural firms are a feature of the program. All students are required to keep a journal.

Ceramics:

This course aims to have students explore ceramics as both craft and art while strengthening hand building and wheel throwing abilities. Students will create utilitarian objects as exercises in developing technical skills and will also apply learned skills to creating non-functional art pieces. Exploration of students’ evolving sense of aesthetics is explored and applied within a self-expressive sculpture. Development of artistic vocabulary and design principles will be fostered through journal writing, in-class critiques and class discussions of past and contemporary ceramic work.

Digital Art: Color Photography and Design:

This course explores the nuances of using digital cameras to produce and print color photographs using digital printers and various papers. Students will learn camera settings, and use a number of software applications (Photoshop Elements, Fireworks, Dreamweaver and Flash) to enhance and create new images derived from their original photographs. Elements of design and composition are covered as students create effective and innovative digital art work.

In the second half of the year, students will propose and embark on independent digital projects which may include the creation of Web sites, Flash animations or other digital media or a collection of color prints on a photographic theme. Students will be required to keep a journal for this class.

Painting and Drawing:

This class emphasizes basic techniques in an atmosphere that encourages personal, expressive work. It explores the fundamentals of drawing and painting from observation, imagination and memory, as well as design and color theory. Students are introduced to a wide variety of materials including watercolor, tempera, acrylics and various drawing media. If students continue for a second year, they are challenged with more intensive experiences, continuing to work in acrylics, watercolor, oil paint and various drawing media. This is an opportunity for interested students to develop technique in the service of expressive painting. Those students who need to compile a portfolio for college admission will receive appropriate guidance. This class includes independent studio periods beyond most classes. A journal is required for this course.

Photography:

The course offers students a complete overview of the photographic process. After beginning with a practical understanding of Camera Obscura and pinhole photography, students will work with inexpensive manual cameras, then 35mm Single Reflex cameras, and finally with professional 6x6 medium format twin-lens cameras. Via hands-on experience, students will learn the interrelationship between film format, film speeds, and aperture/shutter speeds. In the photographic laboratory students will learn how to develop paper negatives, make positives by contact printing, develop film in various formats, make enlargements, and produce quality black and white prints. The curriculum will enable students to comprehend the historical tradition of photography and how it relates to contemporary image making.

In addition to photographic assignments, each student is required to keep a journal which is a vital and integral part of the course.

Due to various levels of expertise in the class students, there are ample opportunities for more advanced students to function in as role of a mentor/instructor.

Photojournalism:

Although the birth of photojournalism officially took place after World War I and coincided with the advent of 35 mm camera, documentary photography dates back to the very beginning of the medium itself.

The course introduces students to the work of noted photojournalists and to the materials, techniques, and methods of working in this exciting and challenging field. Students work on assignments involving school and community activities, sporting events, personal profiles and photo essays. Most assignments are coordinated with the editors of the yearbook and other school publications. Students keep a journal for this class

Printmaking:

Students are introduced to the fundamentals of various printmaking media such as, linoleum cuts, woodcuts, monotypes, etching, drypoint and aquatint. Basic skills are taught to enable students to work confidently and expressively. Students who have previous experience in printmaking have the opportunity to specialize and enhance their skills in the medium of their choice, or to explore areas that are new to them. For example, students who are interested in woodcuts can go on to explore multi-block color prints, or wood engraving on end-grain wood. Etching students can experiment with sugar-lift aquatints and become acquainted with such tools as the roulette, stippling tool, scraper and burnisher, in order to create and control textures and tones. Students are encouraged to become familiar with a variety of inks and paper so they can experiment with different printing techniques.

Stained Glass:

Students begin by learning about the nature of glass and its manufacture. They are introduced to the nuances of designing and cutting and are taught how to adapt their proposed project to the limitations that the media presents. Based on this knowledge, they learn how to craft their design into a finished product using the copper foil method. Skills include: pattern making, glass cutting, foiling, tinning and soldering the individual pieces of glass. Students are encouraged to make thoughtful decisions about color harmony, proportion and the effect of light on their project. At least one piece of original art is completed during the year. Each project represents a challenge that is reasonable for the level of expertise of the student. Thought, originality, skillful technique and purpose are valued in this course. Safety is stressed throughout, as is the conservation of materials and a willingness to assist others in maintaining the studio. Advanced students have the opportunity to design new pieces that keep them moving ahead and searching for greater technical and aesthetic challenges.

Video Production:

This course encompasses the basic elements of video production. The class meets together twice a cycle for discussions, screenings, lesson-based activities, and production shoots. Assignments introduce students to principles of film language that are used to tell stories visually. They will include writing for the screen, picture composition, camera training, editing theory, and working with actors. Each student will be required to write, storyboard, direct, shoot and edit several short movies, independently and in small groups. The group at large is modeled after a creative production “team” and will be expected to provide constructive criticism and engage in the open exchange of ideas. Students will receive frequent reading and writing assignments and are required to keep a creative journal.