Visual Fine Arts
Welcome to Fine Arts
The classes offered in two dimensional arts are: Fundamentals of Art, Studio Art, Advanced Art, and Independent Art Study. You must have complete the classes in this order to advance in the two dimensional arts program. The three dimensional classes are: Ceramics, Studio Ceramics and Advanced Ceramics. Photography and Advanced Photography are also offered. Again this is the order they are taken in.
Art class fees and Expectations: The Elements and Principles of Design will be used to create art, critique individual art, peer art and the art of the masters. Artist create a digital portfolio of all their art for college acceptance and scholarship opportunities. Parents will see all of the art created throughout the year with the digital portfolio because some students choose not to take home all of their art. Artist will be required to professional display their art in the BHS Art Shows. Other art shows they may be chosen for are the Bayfield Public Library Art Show and the I.M.L. Art Show. All art will become the property of the student at the end of the year or after shows are over.
Fundamentals of Art $35 – Your artist at the end of the year will take home art in a variety of possible mediums such as; acrylic paintings on canvas board, watercolor, glass fusion, pencil, oil pastels, metal tooling, mixed media and more. The purpose of this class is to teach technical drawing and painting, then use these skills to creatively express themselves in a variety of mediums and styles.
Studio Art $50- Your advanced artist will take home 7 or more large pieces of art. This includes a personally stretched canvas oil painting, several acrylic paintings, mixed media art and any media that I have available to express themselves. Artists will also use iPads and Procreate to complete a piece of computer art. The student will choose a theme for the semester to inspire all their work. They will come up with their own ideas and challenge themselves with techniques and mediums previously unexperienced. Brainstorming with the teacher will be used to stretch the student.
Advanced Art $50- This artist will be expected to look at their digital portfolios from previous years to determine where they need to focus for this highly advanced class. Students will be expected to do at least one three dimensional piece.
Independent Studio Art $50- This student will have completed four two dimensional art classes at BHS and is now expected to investigate college and art design school art class expectations. Artist will design a program to challenge themselves in multimedia and genres. The program will also include three dimensional art. If the artist has also taken a ceramics class, then they may include ceramics in their program.
Ceramics $25- Ceramics will allow students to have a hands-on experience in three-dimensional art. They will create projects in both hand-building and wheel-throwing. They will create a sculpture, as well as many hand-built projects. The artist will throw a cup with a handle and a soup bowl. They will learn many ceramic hand- building methods like press molds, scraffito, draping, slumping and many other techniques. The projects will be both microwave and food safe.
Studio Ceramics $35- These advanced students will learn how to load and unload the kiln for both bisqueware and glazeware projects. They will learn to run the pug mill for processing reclaimed clay. They will be required to do wheelthrown sets, a draped piece, and create seven large hand-built pieces that are both functional and non-functional ceramics. Students will brainstorm with the teacher as they design and choose their own projects. They will peer critique and advise beginning students that are in this class.
Advanced Ceramics $35- These artists are our most advanced three-dimensional artists. They are expected to look at their digital portfolio from previous years to determine where they need to focus in this highly advanced class. Artists are now expected to investigate college and art school design class expectations and design their own program with their research in mind. They will fire clay and process clay for the other classes, as well. Students will brainstorm with the teacher as they design and choose their own projects. They will peer critique and advise beginning students that are in this class.
Photography $50- This is primarily a darkroom photography class with some digital photography included. The expense of this class is due to the silverbacked film and the high-cost chemicals that are used to develop film and darkroom prints. The packet of Ilford photographic paper and two rolls of film cost $35 for each student. We use much more than one per student. School cameras will be available to check out to students. We will be using 35mm film cameras. Please check with family, friends and neighbors to see if they have one of these cameras just sitting forgotten in a closet somewhere. You would be surprised how often this is true. Darkroom photography is still used in colleges and high schools all around the country and is considered a refined art form in photography. Advanced
Advanced Photography $50- Advanced students are mixed with beginning students in this class. Advanced students will peer critique and advise beginning students. They will give small demonstrations to the class on how to do certain processes and techniques. They will serve as peer coaches, as they re-familiarize themselves with the class. They will be required to use advanced techniques, mimic the photography in three different genres of their choice and choose a theme for each one. Advanced photography students are now expected to investigate college and art school design class expectations for photography and use this knowledge to influence their photography.
Grading will be based on creativity, meeting due dates, time management and skill mastery using the Elements and Principles of Design, self-evaluations, critique feedback and teacher evaluation. There will also be some vocabulary tests and writing assignments. I will be available at lunches on Monday, Thursday and Friday for makeup work and one-on-one teacher help by appointment with the student.
Respect yourself, others, the art supplies and classroom procures. NEVER put down others, their art work or even your own art projects. Mature behavior is required in all classes. Cell phones and Chrome books are not allowed without teacher approval and for educational purposes only. Food will never be allowed in the ceramic room or the darkroom due to health hazards.
This is a chance for students to disengage from all that left brain learning and use the right brain for a change. We produce professional looking art and stretch ourselves creatively every day. I am looking forward to sharing the creative experience of producing art with your student!
Art Teacher and N.A.H.S. Sponsor - Kathy Neal
School phone -970-884-5531 cell- 970-4269272