Arts

Studio Art and Digital Art

In all the Studio Art courses, the focus is on building a strong foundation of technical skills in drawing, design, painting and sculpture.

Along with class projects, students learn through art history lectures, demonstrations, and museum and gallery trips. We also have visiting artists each year to expose students to new art media. Throughout the year, students exhibit their artwork at Williams and at local art galleries such as the Mystic Art Association.

Art I

This course is a foundation course that teaches basic skills in drawing, composition and design, printmaking, sculpture and painting. A variety of media are introduced, including charcoal, pastel, ink, acrylic paint and clay. Art history is introduced wirh projects and presentations on Impressionism, Post-Impressionism and Cubism. Students learn how to look at and write about works of art. Individual studio work is reinforced by weekly homework assignments. Art I is a prerequisite for all other upper school art courses.

Art II

Students in this course will develop more complex skills in drawing, two-dimensional design and three-dimensional design. New painting media, such as watercolor are introduced in this course. Students will also learn relief sculpture, including sculpting, mold making and casting. The Art II course is very collaborative and students work together on art projects throughout the year. Art History is taught through a research project that focuses on art and artists in a specific era. Art II is a prerequisite for the Advanced Art and the Portfolio Development courses.

Advanced Art

This course allows students to cultivate creativity in art while continuing to build a strong foundation. Structured projects in drawing, color theory and painting are balanced with long-term independent projects.Through independent work, students explore the more conceptual aspects of art and may spend extended periods of time with one media. Art analysis and interpretation is utilized to discuss various art movements throughout history. Students may take this course for two years, or may participate in the Portfolio Development Course, which includes the completion of an art portfolio. Art I and Art II are prerequisites for this course.

Portfolio Development

This is an intense advanced art course that focuses on the creation of a comprehensive body of art works. Students will work on strengthening skills in drawing, painting and color theory. Students will also chose a concentration and complete a series of conceptual works in a particular media. Photographing artwork will be taught and students will learn how to edit art images and upload images to an online workspace. Students will also learn how to write an artist’s statement, an artist’s resume and other written components of an art portfolio. As part of this course, students will visit area museums and galleries, such as the Lyman Allyn Museum and Cummings Art Center for art criticism. Students will participate in art critiques and will present individual art portfolio at the end of each quarter. Art I, Art II and Advanced Art are prerequisites for this course.

Digital Imaging and Graphic Design

Digital Imaging and Graphic Design is a two-dimensional design course. Using analog, digital and film as the basic tools of expression, emphasis in this course is placed on the principles and elements of two-dimensional design, including composition, rhythm, movement, balance, contrast, repetition, unity and pattern. A firm foundation in photographic and film processes, as well as Photoshop application, will be established. There will be photo-shoots, demonstrations, lectures, and hands-on lab work, throughout the year for the students to incorporate and develop traditional techniques, new technology and their personal voice in an atmosphere designed for continual mentorship and creative exploration. Art I is a prerequisite for this course.

The 2011-2012 will kick off with a collaborative design project for the Art I students. Instead of the Origami Installation, we will be creating a large-scale tessellation painting, which will be installed at The Drop In Learning Center in New London. Each student will create a design that could work in the chosen environment. As a class, we choose a favorite design andwork together to create the design.

The students in the Art II course will have the opportunity to collaborate as well in a unique project for Compchorea. For the first time ever, art students will work with music students and dance students to create a multimedia performance piece.

Senior Sabrina Catlett will pursue an afterschool art program here at Williams, where she will have the opportunity to apply her art skills to various community events. Sabrina will be designing sets, costumes and artwork for the spring musical, Into the Woods. Sabrina will also work on a community service art project to benefit High Hopes in Old Lyme.

Mr. Bowerman is gearing up for the spring 2012 student trip to Berlin, Krakow, Prague, and Budapest. This tour is part of the inspiration for the 2011-2012 Digital Imaging Theme of “The Ethnographic Eye." The much anticipated return of the temporary darkroom will establish the basic skills and standards of the photographic process. The students will then study 20th century Jewish Immigrant photographers, participate in the CT Teen Safe Driving Video Competition, and the CT College bi-annual Arts and Technology Symposium, finishing off the year creating a feature length stop motion animation film adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

Studio and Digital Art Gallery

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