Visual Arts

This course is a survey of art history in which students also have the opportunity for studio practice that involves drawing, painting, sculpture and design.

Readings in the textbook, The Annotated Mona Lisa: A Crash Course in Art History from Prehistoric to Postmodern, complemented by outside research and discussion, provide students with the opportunity to learn about the cultural foundations of history. Experimentation with a variety of materials encourages students to explore and understand strategies for expressing meaning as they gain knowledge and familiarity in the use of two and three dimensional materials.

This course introduces students to different approaches to drawing, painting and sculpture, applying the elements of art and principles of design to develop skills and sensitivity to line, shape, color, value, texture, composition and form.

Assignments and class work place emphasis on developing foundational to advanced skills, in a variety of two-dimensional and three-dimensional media, in a non-competitive atmosphere. Students are encouraged to employ art and design vocabulary, and use classroom critiques to encourage analysis, self-evaluation and the development of their own style and visual content.

We explore and travel through time and space with 250 objects as our vehicle. We touch all corners of the globe, reaching back to the beginning of humanity. As a class we consider what makes art art, what it is and its purpose- whether it is purely aesthetic, spiritual, political or even practical. In this journey, we investigate the nature of art, art making, and responses to art, by looking at the course content of 250 works that come from diverse traditions, while creating a global perspective.

All students enrolled must take the AP Art History exam, but this class is not solely about the test, how to take it, and how to prepare for it. It is not only about attaining facts about art and its historical context, but it is primarily about analysis and synthesis based on these facts. In this class, you will be given tools to deepen your skills in this regard. Learning through art will help to broaden your understanding of history and the human condition.

Also counts towards History department requirements

This course is designed for students who are seriously interested in the practical experience of art. Designed for highly motivated students ready to take on the rigors of a college–level course and complete the exam (portfolio).

Divided into three sub-sections, the student may focus on either: Studio Art (drawing portfolio); Studio Art (2-D Design Portfolio); or Studio Art (3-D Design Portfolio). The three portfolios share a basic, three- section structure, which requires the student to show fundamental competence and a range of understanding in visual concerns and methods. Each portfolio is divided into three equally graded components and major concerns (1) a sense of quality in their work; (2) a concentration on a particular visual interest or problem; and (3) the need for breadth of experience in the formal, technical and expressive means. Prerequisite: Foundations of Art or US Studio Art & Sculpture.

This course is a year-long introductory course in the theory and practice of digital image- making and photography.

This course will familiarize the student with the fundamentals of light, photographic equipment, software programs (with an emphasis on Adobe Photoshop), materials, methods, and processes often used in modern digital imaging and design.

This course builds on the skills learned in Digital Imaging and Design 1.

Projects and assignments are tailored to the individual student’s tastes and interests. Students are expected to demonstrate a higher level of sophistication, both technically and conceptually