Arts

The Arts Department is committed to having the arts play a significant role in the life of students and the School. Department courses are designed to teach students specific skills, encourage creative and higher order thinking, and develop individual expression and discipline within one’s craft. In all areas students are evaluated on their mastery of the material, skill development, and participation. In addition, art exhibitions, music and dance performances, and theater productions celebrate student achievement and provide opportunities for shared experiences within the community.

Requirements:

Students are required to complete three semesters in the Arts. In the visual arts, students can elect to earn credit by taking semester courses. In the performing arts, students can elect to earn credit by performing in a theater production, by participating in a vocal or instrumental group, or by taking select music or theater courses. Introductory and foundational classes as well as more advanced courses are available to all students, and students are encouraged to pursue their individual interests and talents.

Fine Arts

Art I: Visual Communication

Semester course

Prerequisites: none

Students in Art I learn the skills needed to create well-designed, finely crafted works of art and develop the mindset necessary to persevere in the studio. Through the study of the Elements of Art, they will learn the importance of “process” as they hone their visual vocabulary. This course focuses on drawing from observation and assignments are designed to explore the individual Elements: line, value, form, shape, space, color, and texture. Studio work is complemented with frequent class critiques and discussions of master works from the past and present in order to provide a context for projects. Students are required to keep sketchbooks that will be turned in for review every week.

Drawing

Semester course

Prerequisites: Art I or department approval

This course builds upon the elements and principles of design covered in Art I. Students are encouraged to use drawing as an expressive medium. Class projects continue to include drawing from life, but investigations of surrealism, cubism, abstraction, and more conceptual approaches are encouraged. Special attention is paid to artists from the past and present. Discussions about artists such as Vija Celmins, Firelei Báez, and William Kentridge shed light on the direction of contemporary drawing. Students are challenged to learn from other artists but to preserve and nurture their own individual styles. Media used in this course ranges from the traditional (pencil, charcoal, and ink) to the unconventional (natural pigments, spray paint, and silverpoint).

Painting Semester course

Prerequisites: Art I or department approval

In this course, students build upon the elements and principles of design covered in Art I. Students work with oils as well as a variety of water-based media. Demonstrations and discussions of early painting techniques such as grisaille, egg tempera, and glazing accompany the study of more contemporary, expressive painting mediums. Experimentation with materials and the process of mixing and applying paint help students achieve the goal of creating artwork that challenges their technical proficiency and demonstrates their unique outlook.

Digital Photography

Semester course

Prerequisites: Art I or department approval

Digital photography will introduce students to the photographic medium both from a technical and an aesthetic point of view. The focus on digital photography from a fine arts perspective will enable the student photographer to utilize the medium for self-expression, cultural criticism, and comment. Digital cameras are provided to the student for weekly photographic projects exploring motion, depth of field, portraiture, and landscape. Students learn to manipulate and improve their images with digital photo software. Written photographic analyses as well as a final test on the technical aspects of photography are required.

Advanced Studio Art Honors

Semester course

Prerequisites: Art I and one additional studio elective Students work on a suite of artwork in which ideas are explored and then presented in the form of a series. This studio course is designed for serious art students who are seeking more independence in their work while maintaining a critical rapport with the instructor. Students are expected to have achieved a degree of expertise in one or more mediums and demonstrate readiness for using materials to support a sustained investigation of their ideas.

Watercolor

Semester course

Prerequisites: Art I

This course is an introduction to the versatile medium. Projects are designed to broaden the student’s technical facility and develop concepts through painting. Study of artists such as John Singer Sargent, Winslow Homer, and contemporary painters such as Walton Ford, Lourdes Sanchez, and Amy Park will provide an historical context for lessons and assignments that include plein air painting, still life, and experiments with abstraction.

Printmaking

Semester course

Prerequisites: Art I

This introductory course explores many different printmaking techniques, including screen printing, monotype, relief printing, drypoint, etching, collagraph and lithography. Students study the social and artistic concerns of producing imagery in multiples, learning concepts and printmaking processes through lectures, slide and video presentations, demonstrations, and hands-on projects.

Sculpture

Semester course

Prerequisites: Art I or department approval

This beginning course is designed to provide basic skills in working in three dimensions. The class will introduce many different sculptural processes and help students learn how to reinterpret the world into physical form. Concepts will be introduced through lectures, slide and video presentations, demonstrations, and hands-on projects. A variety of materials including cardboard, Tyvek, and balsa wood will be explored. No previous experience with sculpture is necessary.

Portfolio Preparation Honors

Semester course

Prerequisites: Art I and Drawing, Painting, or Sculpture

In this course designed for serious artists, students create a cohesive, carefully selected portfolio. In addition to utilizing studio time to enhance their body of work, students will be taught how to photograph and digitally edit their artwork. Pieces created in this class, in other courses, or outside of school will be gathered and evaluated for the portfolio. Students will participate in at least one National Portfolio Day event, and they will be required to submit an eight-piece senior portfolio to the Art and Writing competition in December. Students will have opportunities to learn about careers in visual art, and representatives from art schools will be invited to give presentations and offer critiques of student work. Each student will participate in a senior exhibition at the end of the school year in the Dexter Southfield gallery.

AP Studio Art

Full-year course

Prerequisites: department approval

AP Studio Art is a yearlong course intended for highly motivated students committed to the serious study of art. Students will explore materials, processes, and ideas to build a body of work that reflects rigorous formal and conceptual investigation. Students will select one of three portfolios (two-dimensional design, three-dimensional design, or drawing) to be completed by the first week of May and then submitted to the College Board for evaluation. The portfolio includes up to 20 works of art and consists of two different sections: selected works and sustained investigation. Students who enroll in this class will be expected to complete course work in the summer.

Hand-Building Ceramics

Semester course; not offered 2023-2024

Prerequisites: Art 1 or department approval

This course is designed to teach students how to create functional and sculptural objects using clay. Building on the foundational study of the Elements and Principles of Design, students experiment with different methods and projects, learning from their mistakes as they explore this wonderful and challenging medium. The class will study contemporary artists and historical works in clay to complement the practice of basic construction techniques of pinch, coil, and slab.

Ceramics

Semester course; not offered 2023-2024

Prerequisites: Art 1 or department approval

This course will help students gain familiarity with the wheel through the practice of the basic skills of centering, thinning the walls, shaping the form and trimming. Discussions and demonstrations about glazes and surface design help students turn their fired clay into finished works of art. The class encourages students to build upon their diverse foundation arts experience by continuing to cultivate their creative voice. Students are challenged to trust the creative process, celebrate the inherent qualities of the materials and discover opportunities in unexpected outcomes. Students will create a body of work that is representative of their growth and exploration as they gain confidence in their evolving personal aesthetic.

Performing Arts

World Music

Semester course

Prerequisites: none

This course explores musical traditions from around the world, tying artistic expression and performance practice to cultural context, while comparing elements of style, form, and instrumentation from various geographical regions. Fundamental differences between traditions are contrasted with recurring characteristics that point to music as a universal language, derived from our common humanity and Pythagoras’ principles of mathematics and musical pitch. Listening and analysis activities in class are supplemented by opportunities for performance on instruments from diverse traditions.

Music Theory

Semester course

Prerequisites: none

This introductory music theory class is designed to teach students about the building blocks of musical composition. An understanding of how music is put together will lead to a deeper appreciation for the music we listen to every day and will also benefit students interested in composition and performance. Topics covered include notation, meter, key signatures, scales, chords, Roman numeral analysis, and ear training.

AP Music Theory

Full-year course

Prerequisites: department approval

The course begins with a review of basic concepts, such as notation, scales, intervals, and triads and ends with the study of more advanced topics, such as Neapolitan chords, augmented sixth chords, and sonata form. One of the main objectives of the course is for students to master the art of voice leading in four voices, following the stylistic practices of Bach chorales. These skills will not only enhance students’ analytic proficiency but will also provide the tools for a further pursuit of composition. By the end of the year students will be equipped to analyze the most harmonically adventurous pieces of the Romantic period. Students are required to take the AP Music Theory Exam in May.

Ukulele Semester course

Prerequisites: none

The ukulele is used to teach fundamental music theory concepts, such as chords, scales, and intervals. Students learn basic sight reading and performance skills, while building a repertoire of songs through the semester. Individual instruction in fretwork and strumming technique is paired with ensemble playing, as students work together to create multi-layered textures, drawing from a diverse array of musical styles. The course aims to build a strong foundation in critical listening skills, general musicianship, and music theory that can serve as a launchpad for further musical study. Students perform in a concert at the end of the semester. No musical background is required.

Vocal Ensemble

Semester course

Prerequisites: none

The Vocal Ensemble is a music performance class that meets during daytime academic blocks. Rehearsals are designed to develop vocal technique, proper breath support, ear training, note reading, harmonizing, musicianship, teamwork, and performance skills. Music selections will be guided by student interest and will include a variety of genres, from Acapella, Broadway, Pop/Rock, and Jazz, to Classical and World Music. The Vocal Ensemble performs in an end-of-semester concert, with other opportunities for recording, videos, social media and various events in and outside of school. The Vocal Ensemble is fitting for both advanced and beginner singers. No prior background is necessary, and all are welcome.

Ensemble

Semester course

Prerequisites: none

Ensemble is open to all instrumentalists with basic sight-reading skills. Rehearsals take place twice a week during daytime academic blocks, and repertoire will be chosen based on student ability and interest. Students will perform in a concert at the end of the semester.

Theatre I

Semester course

Prerequisites: none

This course explores what it means to be an actor on stage. Topics include ensemble building, improvisational (unscripted) theatre, and basic scene study and analysis. Students will acquire a foundational knowledge of theatre terminology and performance technique, while learning the art of acting through active participation.

Theatre II

Semester course

Prerequisites: none

Theatre II involves exploration and further training within the basic principles and tools of acting, including an emphasis on critical analysis of oneself and others. The tools include ensemble performing, character and script analysis, and basic theater terminology.

From Page to Stage

Semester course

Prerequisites: Theatre/Acting I

This course is designed for students who love to write. Students will learn the craft of playwriting, from basic story building to character development and dramatic structure. The class will explore various styles of playwriting and study several influential playwrights and their impact on the world of theatre. Students will work to create their own short plays that will be performed by fellow students.