The Arts

Fine Arts

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Artistic Expression

St. John's Fine Arts Department believes in the ability of every student to grow personally and artistically through classes based on exploration and skill development. We offer a variety of classes and experiences designed to meet the needs of students at all levels.

St. John's art students produce high-quality work that is displayed throughout the school and printed in school publications. Students have been recognized at national art competitions, awarded highly selective internships, and gained admission to competitive college art programs.

Our studio courses begin with an entry level class exploring all mediums before narrowing subject matter into more advanced concepts and personal expression. Students will have the opportunity to discover different types of media, techniques, and subject matter.

Current course offerings include design, drawing, painting, sculpture, and ceramics. Upperclassmen may enroll in upper level and AP art courses where they will create portfolios to help prepare them for college-level art courses.

In addition to the extensive course offerings, St. John's students can participate in the annual Gallery Night and AP Art Night exhibitions, National Art Honor Society, Art Club, and extensive service projects.

2-Dimensional Design

Two-dimensional (2D) designs are artworks on a piece of paper or any flat surface. More formally, 2D design refers to a design with only length and width. Some examples of 2D design projects are drawings, paintings, collages, photography and digital art.

The curriculum of 2D design revolves around the elements and principals of design, a term that refers to the guidelines for creating artwork. Our students learn to use these elements and principles as tools to shape their work. SJC design students also learn to use a variety of traditional media, from pencils and paint to computers and iPads.

3-Dimensional Design

Three-dimensional (3D) design can be a sculpture, a piece of pottery or an installation. More technically speaking, 3D design refers to art that has height, width and depth. It can represent something concrete, such as a person or an animal, or it can simply be an abstract design.

The curriculum revolves around the elements and principles of 3D design, a term that refers to the guiding principles of 3D artwork. Our students learn how to use these elements and principles to shape their work and have the opportunity to make artwork using clay, plaster, wood, found objects and other materials. Students learn how to make hand-built clay work and also how to work on the pottery wheel. St. John's art studios have a kiln and five pottery wheels.

Drawing and Painting

Drawings and paintings are traditionally created with paint, pencil, charcoal and the like; however, this medium now includes digital creations, as long as they are done by hand.

Our students start out learning basic drawing skills and gain experience through assignments that push students in both skill and creativity. They learn to draw from life, imagination, and photos. They also learn how to use their iPad as a tool for finding and manipulating images to use as a reference.

St. John's art curriculum covers a variety of mediums, including pencil, colored pencil, charcoal, pastel, acrylic, watercolor and ink. Our students work on different surfaces (canvas, paper, etc) and learn techniques for using each of these mediums. They experiment with different subject matters and styles, both realistic and abstract. Different styles of famous artists and artistic movements are covered.

Media Arts & AP Art History

Media Arts classes use digital media and technology in combination with traditional media as a tool for the creation of art. Students will combine visual arts with non-visual elements such as sound, video, motion graphics, and print media. This will often merge multiple approaches within a single artwork. Students explore how combing these elements can create new meaning within a work of art. Topics include digital painting and photography, graphics, and 3D printing technology, among others. This course also focuses on literacy in an evolving and changing media.

AP Art History is an introductory college-level global art history course. Students cultivate an understanding of art history through visual and contextual analysis of 250 works of art ranging from 25,500 B.C to 2011, exploring culture, theory, material, process, and purpose through art historical analysis.

Art & Clay Clubs

St. John's Art and Clay Clubs are collaborative groups in which students participate in a variety of art projects that allow them to express themselves in different ways. Each club member brings his or her individual style to the group, which creates an environment of diversity where students can learn from each other. Clubs meet monthly and are open to all students.