Art

The visual arts program is designed to provide students with a Discipline-Based Arts Education. This discipline gives students experiences with art production, art history, and art criticism, with an emphasis on the elements of art and design.

Each art project is designed to develop and challenge every student’s creative potential. Projects are aimed at developing conceptual understanding and creative skills, along with participation and appreciation skills.

In grades K-3, the students work at developing their fine motor skills through the basic elements of art. These elements include: line, shape, texture, value, space and color. In grades 4-8, students continue their development of fine motor skills using the elements of art, while beginning an introduction to art appreciation. Students are introduced to art history and its artists, noting basic elements of artist’s style and composition. Advanced principles of design: repetition, emphasis, contrast, balance and unity are used by students in creation of their own art work, and as a tool for analysis of the masters. Students in grades 6-8 create projects based on critical thinking skills, using the elements of art and the principles of design learned in the elementary years.