The 6th-grade arts workshops focus on self-discovery. Students spend half a year in performing arts and the other half in visual arts. Areas of study include acting, dance, drawing, and painting. They explore principles that form a thread through all of the performing and visual arts: multiple perspectives; visual balance; rhythm and movement; contrast and affinity; and color and light.

In this class, students investigate the fundamentals of visual media and techniques. They start with the basics of drawing, both from imagination and observation. They also have an opportunity to work in three dimensions. As students become more fluent with tools and ideas, they are encouraged to find deeper avenues of expression, both individually and collaboratively.

The visual arts program fosters creativity and aesthetic awareness by offering the study of a wide range of two- and three-dimensional media at beginning and advanced levels. Through discussion, critiques, and journal writing, students acquire a vocabulary that enables them to reflect on their work in the context of past and present art. The school collects and organizes a portfolio selection of the students’ best works. Each spring, the Annual Art Show celebrates their artistic accomplishments. Emphasis is placed on originality and long-term commitment to art. During independent studio time, students may continue to work on their projects or participate in other art room activities. Student-to-student mentoring opportunities are highly valued; as such, students with more expertise pursue artwork of greater complexity, and share their knowledge with their less-experienced peers.

Hand-building is an essential cornerstone of both functional and sculptural pottery. In this introductory course, students learn basic hand-building techniques including construction, clay surface treatment (texture, color, design), and glazing. Through a series of short explorations interspersed with longer-term projects, students gain confidence and skill in modeling, pinching, slab building, and coiling forms. They explore a variety of tools to create expressive clay textures, practice traditional decorative methods, enhance their fine motor skills, and nurture their growing sense of artistic space and comprehension of scale. In addition to learning the fundamentals of 3-D design, students have the opportunity to explore their personal interests and sensibilities by incorporating out-of-class research on topics related to longer-term assignments. Idea development and experimentation are emphasized as students create unique artworks. Museum and gallery visits that relate to student projects supplement this course.

In this course, students learn both hand-building and potter’s-wheel techniques. As students gain technical skills, they also explore aspects of the creative process, including idea development, problem solving, and self-expression. Students have opportunities to create both sculptural and functional pieces, including work that bridges both categories. Emphasis is given to the use of clay and glazes as methods of communication. Within the context of specific projects, students visit museums as well as the studios of potters and sculptors.

Digital Art introduces students to Adobe Photoshop and Pixlr. In this course, students use the computer to explore how to create meaning through composition, image manipulation, and animation. They use a combination of their own photography, found imagery, and digital drawing. This class consistently explores two questions: “What makes something art?” and “What is the role of technology in art?” Students are given technical tutorials that provide the tools needed to create, experiment, and push digital art to extremes.

This course offers students a basic overview of the photographic process. Through hands-on experience, students learn the functions of the camera as they develop their creative voices. They gain knowledge about the interrelationship between film speed, aperture, shutter speed, depth of field, and focal length through individual and collaborative projects. Students learn to see their world in new ways by observing their surroundings through the camera lens.

This course emphasizes self-discovery in an atmosphere that encourages personal, expressive work. Students have the opportunity to explore a variety of materials, media, and techniques, as they are introduced to fundamental concepts such as color, light, and design. They engage with art of the past and the present through classroom activities as well as museum and gallery visits. Each student is required to keep a sketchbook in order to share ideas and reflect on individual artistic development.