Visual Arts

Visual art teachers at Brownell Talbot create a unique curriculum that enables each student to realize their artistic potential. Throughout the years, each student is able to create using drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, and ceramics. Starting in preschool, students are introduced to visual art through visits to their classroom by local artists within the community.

Philosophy

The visual art program strives to help students increase technical ability while also pushing them to be better critical thinkers and creative problem solvers. Junior kindergarten through sixth grade we explore every art medium throughout the year. Students study the art of many cultures throughout the world, finding similarities between them and examining how it fits into our own lives. They also learn the art history timeline and the many different art movements and artists.

Course Work

All seventh and eighth grade students participate in visual art classes and focus on the individual elements of art along with principles for successful design. In Upper School students begin by taking Art Foundations. These courses emphasize perceptual drawing skills, color theory, 3D design and critique through sketchbook practice. These courses are painting, pottery, or sculpture. The courses focus on skills and challenges related to each type of media. After the successful completion of Art Foundations, students have the opportunity to expand their skill set by taking painting, pottery or sculpture again. These  courses focus on skills and challenges related to each type of media. After gaining media specific experience in one of these courses students can move on to Portfolio, an advanced course that allows students to build a unique body of work in a medium they feel strongest in. Students also have the option of taking Portfolio as an intensive AP Studio course, submitting their portfolios in May for college credit. Each class meets the entire school year. Out-of-classroom experiences, independent study with a trip abroad, participation in shows/competitions, and guest speakers round out the visual art experience at Brownell Talbot.

BT students participate in art shows in the community including the Holocaust art show and summer arts festivals and show their work within local venues. The visual art program supports Bead for Life at BT's Multicultural Fair to coordinate with the Africa unit taught in Lower School art.

Gallery of Togetherness

This year has been challenging for many classes, especially doing distance learning in art. This gallery demonstrates some of the amazing work BT art students have done in and outside of class. We have drawn in pencil, sculpted, painted in watercolor, used pen and ink, oil pastel, colored pencil, fresco, and collaged.