List of 3 items.

• Art & Comedy

  There is a general misrepresentation of art as something that must be serious, beautiful and/or miraculous in its execution. Contemporary artists all over the world have worked to demystify those preconceptions by giving viewers permission to have fun. Art & Comedy is a class that examines how artists have utilized comedy and play as a way to embrace and expand their audience. In this course, what Middle School students find funny is explored, and how to integrate humor into artwork is determined. Students learn about, discuss and create responses to “bad paintings,” performance art, memes, video art, stand-up and sketch comedy. Throughout this process, how comedy functions as a mode of communication and the role art plays in society are questioned.

• Ceramics

  It’s time to explore personal expression through the versatile, and oh-so-messy, medium of clay using the pottery wheel and other hand-building techniques. Students explore all of the wonderful elements of sculpture (form, structure, negative space, balance, symmetry) as they grapple with the technical and conceptual issues related to sculpture and the creation of a vessel. They learn how throwing becomes a tool to achieve their desired sculptural object when in combination with other ceramic techniques including coiling, hand building, sculpture, as well as surface enrichment and glazing methods. The material of clay will be explored as a material in context with chemistry, surfaces, physics, geology, design, archeology, contemporary art history, drawing, sculpture and painting. Students participate in group critiques and reflection to develop their own critical tools, vocabulary and individual voice. Central to the work are class discussions, one-on-one instruction, collaborative explorations, self-directed projects, and “quick and dirty” challenges to keep the energy alive and flowing. 

• Digital Image Works

  Do you want to learn the tricks and skills to program presets and curate the perfect Instagram feed? In this class, students learn the basics of how to control a camera in manual mode in order to create motion and capture a story through photos and videos. They dive into understanding how the lens and digital processors perceive light and how to manipulate them, plus post-processing. This will entail learning how to edit in Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop to bring images to life and portray a creative story and using Final Cut Pro X and Motion 5. Students learn how to use simple HTML/CSS to display their works on a structured and presentable portfolio website.