Visual Arts

Is your child a budding Banksy? The next Cindy Sherman? Or just someone who loves to doodle? At Academy, your child will have endless opportunities to explore and study art, not as an “elective” but as an integral part of their education.

Starting with art from day one.

We begin exposing students to art in PreK, with drawing and painting. Throughout Lower School, they plunge into a full arts program. Kindergarten students emulate the great masters, while older students create original works of their own. In the Morris Hall Arts complex, students work in light-filled studios using traditional mixed media as well as iPads and 3D printers. The walls of our school are filled with artwork, and formal exhibitions are held in a two-level gallery that rivals those found on many college campuses.

Eight ways to look at an octopus.

Art of all forms helps students connect the dots, integrating different disciplines through “thematic learning.” For example, while our Lower School students are studying the ocean, they may make a papier mache octopus, and in the process, connect art with science and nature. Creating a three-dimensional, scientifically correct cephalopod requires visualizing, drawing, problem-solving and looking at a subject from multiple perspectives.

When art speaks, middle-school students find their voice.

In middle school, students create works of art across many genres. They learn art terms, practice cartooning and keep a sketchbook. As students progress through the grades, they delve into art history, critique works of art and do portraiture. At an age where adolescents are asking “Who am I?,” studying art gives them ways to explore that answer from multiple points of view. Teachers work with students to develop their skills and find their own voice as an artist.

In Upper School, it’s all about depth and perspective.

Upper School students take a more sophisticated approach to their artwork. In studio classes, they explore composition, perspective and design as well as contemporary artists and styles. They also have an array of electives including 2-D painting, advanced pottery processes, sculpture and photography. For the more serious art student, the Portfolio Art elective prepares them for a professional career in design or placement in an art college. The opportunity to exhibit a complete show in the Morris Arts Complex gallery introduces them to curating a body of work and teaches them how to present their art—and themselves--professionally. Students who take advanced courses in the human experience, studying Shakespeare, psychology, philosophy and history—further inform their artwork. The result are works of individuality, sophistication, polish and accomplishment.

Meet Our Visual Arts Faculty