At St. Mark’s, the arts are integral to the development of the creative self. Whether through drawing, acting, sculpting, singing, or playing music, art guides students toward the discovery of their own creative process.
Our robust program includes innovative courses designed to complement our academic vision and broaden individual horizons. All students are required to take one year of fine arts study, but we find many eagerly participate in additional course work.
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While some students come to the School with extensive visual arts experience, others have never picked up a paintbrush. All learn in a dynamic setting to develop their observational skills and a personal voice through a variety of media.
Studio classes introduce the fundamental principles and elements of two-dimensional art through a survey of concepts, techniques, and material practices. Students will experience various art-making materials, including graphite, gouache, colored pencils, printmaking, collage, and mixed media.
St. Mark’s has three student galleries that showcase student and faculty work. By highlighting this work, students can learn from and celebrate one another as they demonstrate connections to the content or processes they are learning. Beyond the galleries, St. Mark’s takes pride in displaying student artwork throughout the School’s halls. The visual arts are a valued part of the St. Mark’s experience.
Ceramics uses clay as a means of exploring issues of creative problemsolving. Assignments range from traditional functional pottery forms to figurative and abstract clay sculptures. Techniques include coil, slab, extrusion, press molds, reductive carving, and wheel throwing. In the application of each technique, students also explore possibilities for surface texture and glazing. Students will be introduced to the basics of electric and Raku firing. Through structured assignments and selfdesigned projects, students increase self-awareness, self-confidence, and discipline by means of the basic processes of working with clay and the challenge of visual expression.
In Sculpture, students will learn to sculpt in various materials including plaster, clay, wire, wood, and found objects. Assignments range from the abstract to the realistic. Students will be challenged to investigate decisions made in the creative process and problemsolving that affect the communicative qualities of their work. By studying the principles and elements of sculptural design and by hands-on experience with a variety of materials and tools, students will acquire technical skills and confidence in self-expression.
The music program at St. Mark’s supports every student with musical aspirations, regardless of their experience level or whether their interest lies in jazz, classical, rock, pop, ethnic music, recording, or electronica.
Instruction includes practice, performance, songwriting, and advanced music theory. St. Mark’s offers three curricular ensembles: orchestra, choir, and jazz ensemble.
St. Mark’s has a lively culture of musical performances, from student recitals in our beautiful concert hall to musical offerings in Belmont Chapel, the annual Lessons and Carols service, the Wick Choral Festival, and the Cutler Jazz Festival.
In addition to the arts academic programs, we have several art clubs:
• Two a capella groups: the Royal Blues and the Marksmen
• Vindex, student arts magazine
• LEO, online academic journal
• The St. Marker, online student newspaper
The Theater Department is an active component in the life of the School, mounting a major mainstage production in fall and winter, and the ever-popular student-directed one-act festival in the spring. Numerous opportunities exist for performers and non-performers alike, including a fully student-run tech crew. Each year, more than 20 percent of the student body participates in the productions, which are brought to life in our intimate Black Box Theater and are typically modern and ensemble-based.
Recent theater productions include:
T he Comedy about a Bank Robber and Geek, 2023-2024 Shakespeare in Love and Men on Boats, 2022-2023
