Visual Arts

The Visual Arts Program at Friends Seminary provides a place for all students to explore and share their creative potential. Throughout the program, Kindergarten through Grade 12, the Visual Arts curriculum celebrates this inner creativity by encouraging students to observe the visual world around them and by supporting them in expressing their vision with greater skill and discipline.

Friends Seminary is committed to providing a rich program in traditional studio arts and in twenty-first century new media. All students are encouraged to take advantage of our offerings in a diversity of media as they discover their own inner voices and their craft as thinkers and makers.

Most courses can be taken at increasingly advanced levels. Please speak with the teacher to explore this option. For example: if you have taken Ceramics and would like to take it again at an advanced level, you can. It will be recorded on your transcript as Ceramics II and you will be exposed to new techniques and advanced assignments.

2D Art: Intro to 2D Design

This course is for students of all skill levels who would like to learn new approaches or further their work with a variety of materials and methods. Students will explore perspective, drawing and painting techniques, work with mixed media, and complete a non-traditional ‘drawing’ assignment. Students will be encouraged to think conceptually about the materials they use, and how they use them. The final project of the class will culminate in a group exhibition. This class is for any student who wants to explore challenging and dynamic projects. Students will be expected to go to at least one selected gallery/museum during the semester.

5 periods/cycle

One semester course (Fall) – 2 credits
2D/3D Art: Personal Narrative

This course is for students of all skill levels who are interested in creating art within an individualized art program. Each student will work with the teacher to develop a course curriculum based on the student's personal interests. These interests might focus on materials (painting, printmaking, drawing, digital or fiber art, etc.) and/or be conceptually rooted (identity, place, conflict, freedom, etc.) Throughout the semester, students will develop a body of work building on past projects and ongoing dialogue. Students will consciously work to determine how and where their work will be displayed to the community and be expected to go to at least one selected gallery/museum during the semester. Seniors taking this course can propose and design a final independent project that will serve as their Senior Project. Seniors can also work on elements of their project during course time prior to Senior Projects.

5 periods/cycle
One semester course (Spring) – 2 credits
Sculpture: Materials and Process

In this introductory course, students are introduced to an overview of three-dimensional making processes, tools, and materials (paper, clay, found objects, wire, plaster, mixed-media, and 3D printing). Students will explore the relationship between ideas, materials, and construction techniques. We consider sculpture through an expanse of time and across cultures, including the ever-changing field of contemporary sculpture and installation. Projects are thematic: students are given the creative freedom to explore the concepts of space, place, nature, self, and memory. Emphasis is placed on imagination, craft, and a willingness to engage in the design process.

5 periods/cycle
One semester course (Spring) – 2 credits
Painting

In this class, students will concentrate on painting from life as well as complete illustrative work that explores personal imagery and the use of multiple materials. Mediums including acrylic, watercolor, India ink, and mixed-media will be examined. Projects include value studies, expressive self portraits, observational watercolors, and paintings of everyday life, as well as mixed-media projects that seek out the possibilities of traditional and nontraditional materials. Those students who choose to stay in this course for their Senior Project will propose and execute a more expansive painting project of their own design.

5 periods/cycle

One semester course (Spring) – 2 credits
Ceramics

Ceramics is a foundational course that focuses on process, history, and principles of clay design. Students will produce functional and nonfunctional three-dimensional art forms using hand-building (pinch, coil, and slab), surface decoration and glazing, and various other techniques. We will be exploring the relationship between form and function, and personal invention and experimentation is encouraged. Projects are thematic: students are given the creative freedom to explore the concepts of protection, trompe l'oeil, pop-culture, and self. Students with prior experience will deepen their practice and understanding through independent work and research on ceramic traditions, with the opportunity to throw on the wheel. All skill levels are welcome.

5 periods/cycle
One semester course (Fall & Spring) – 2 credits
Digital Photography I

Digital Photography students will be introduced the basics of photography as an art form. Students learn to use the camera as a tool to explore the world, make connections, and develop a visual language through composition, light, and unique approaches to subject matter. The technical aspects of a Digital SLR (single lens reflex) camera and digital editing programs will also be introduced. Early assignments emphasize the creative process and an understanding of light, composition, subject matter, and layering to build up dynamic imagery. Later assignments explore portraiture, street photography, and increased creative risk taking. Frequent discussions about photographs by historical and contemporary photographers provide feedback and inspiration.

5 periods/cycle
One semester course (Fall & Spring) – 2 credits
Digital Photography II

Digital Photography II is an opportunity for students to hone the technical and conceptual skills they began to develop in Photography I and push themselves even further. Students are challenged to explore the potential of photography to examine the world around them in a more rigorous manner through both traditional and unconventional approaches to image making. Projects include explorations in narrative, motion photography, and bookmaking. In addition, students will explore the methodologies of street photography in and around the East Village.

5 periods/cycle
One semester course (Spring) – 2 credits
Prerequisite(s): Digital Photo I or Portfolio Review
Advanced Studio

Advanced Studio is the visual art department's capstone course, designed for motivated students interested in any artistic discipline (photography, film, painting/drawing, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, fiber) and eager to fully explore their creative potential. The course begins with a series of rigorous thematic exercises designed to encourage innovation and the refinement of the creative process. These exercises make space for experimentation, risk, and opportunity to expand students' exposure to different mediums and conceptual approaches to making art. Interwoven into these exercises is the close analysis of a diverse collection of modern and contemporary artists, transecting race, gender, and geography, that stimulate discussion and drive students personal investigations. Each student in Advanced Studio will keep a detailed website that tracks their creative process, artistic influences, and final projects. By the start of the second semester, students will work towards defining a concentration project, of their own design, that will explore an area of artistic inquiry for the remainder of the year. This project is a deep-dive into an area of personal interest for the student and allows for the full development of both conceptual ideas, processes, and materials. The city will be an extension of the classroom, with frequent visits to museums, galleries, and culturally significant public spaces. Students will culminate the year by staging and installing an exhibition of their final project for the Friends community.

5 periods/cycle

Full year course – 4 credits

Prerequisite: Open to 11th and 12th graders. Previous completion of at least 2 visual arts credits. Departmental Approval.
Architecture

This course introduces students to the questions, concepts, theories, and practices of the discipline of architecture. The projects in the course will encourage students to deeply observe the "built" and natural worlds as well as make new architectural and design models. Students will translate their ideas and drawings into three dimensional models, deepen their understanding of form and space, the elements of design, and engage in critique for all major works. Major projects will include Skyscraper concept drawings with scale model, sustainable building project (house/shop), alternative work space design and a “student choice” design project. Students will design for specific criteria, including spaces that function in specific or multiple ways including: sustainable “green” architecture, work spaces, public vs. private, sacred spaces or specific climactic, cultural, or topographical concerns.

Through this course, students will have the opportunity to participate in a service learning experience and earn credit hours toward their annual service requirement.

5 periods/cycle
Full year course – 4 credits
Prerequisite(s): Open to 10-12th graders
Art History: The Art of the Renaissance

This class will begin by examining the art of the Early Renaissance in Northern Europe then spend the majority of the semester exploring the art and culture of the Italian Renaissance. The study of the Northern Renaissance will include a look at how some artists expressed their love of nature while others revealed their intensely spiritual beliefs. The artists we will look at in the north include Jan van Eyck, Hieronymous Bosch, Albrecht Durer, Hans Holbein, Pieter Breugel, and Jean Foquet among others. The students will then study the artists and culture of the Italian Renaissance focusing on the unfolding narratives (economic, political, and artistic) coming out of Florence beginning in 1400. We will be exploring the role of patronage in the revival of the arts as well as the various rivalries among artists of the time. The artists we will study in the south include Giotto, Fra Angelico, Brunelleschi, Masaccio, Ghiberti, Donatello, Michelangelo, Mantegna, Da Vinci, Raphael, Bramante, Botticelli, and Titian among others. Students will also be expected to make several museum/gallery visits, as well as publish their writing on the class blog.

5 periods/cycle

One semester course (Spring) – 2 credits

Prerequisite(s): Open to 10-12th graders
Art History: The Sacred in Art

This course will explore art from ancient times through the present. The lens that we will examine such a wide swath of art will be through how various cultures explore life's most essential questions. We will learn about many world views and myths from around the world by examining the art of these cultures. Students will explore the connections that unite the stories of humankind. Topics covered include creation, paradise, the apocalypse, gods and goddesses, the afterlife, and the hero's journey. We will also explore how these ancient tales affect or relate to modern civilization. Students will be encouraged to find evidence of these stories in contemporary works of art. In addition to the ongoing study of these works, students will be encouraged to reflect upon their own lives as being both mythic and heroic. Students will also be expected to make several museum/gallery visits.

5 periods/cycle
One semester course (Fall) – 2 credits
Prerequisite(s): Open to 10-12th graders
Digital Painting & Design

This course is designed for those new to, and curious about, the world of digital illustration and design. We will be doing a deep dive into the building blocks of digital painting: expressive mark-making, value, form, composition and color theory. Students will be primarily using a digital tablet and stylus, and working on Procreate. Projects are thematic: students are given the creative freedom to explore concepts like everyday objects, identity, places and spaces, and the future. The course culminates in an independent project, where students can select an arena they would like to hone their skills in, such as character design, animating in Photoshop, or digital printing on apparel. For seniors taking this course, this final independent project will serve as their Senior Project. Students will come away with a solid understanding of how to use digital art as a means of visual communication and self-expression.

5 periods/cycle
One semester course (Fall) – 2 credits
Drawing

This course is designed to give all upper school students the opportunity to explore and develop their visual ideas through drawing. Strong emphasis is placed on observation, personal perception, and interpretation of the world around them. Students will hone their rendering skills through various methods of mark making using pencil, charcoal, and pen and ink. This is a great class for any student who wants to develop their perceptual and conceptual drawing skills.

5 periods/cycle

One semester course (Fall) – 2 credits
Film and Animation

Film and Animation students are exposed to the process of shooting video, editing footage, mixing audio, and building original and compelling narratives. During the course, students will develop a deeper understanding of cinematic language through the viewing and critical analysis of short and feature length films. Students will complete three short films, including a short narrative film, a documentary, and a chase scene shot on the streets of New York. An additional project will also explore the use of stop-motion animation and editing techniques. All skill levels are welcome.

5 periods/cycle

One semester course (Fall & Spring) – 2 credits
Graphic Design

In Graphic Design, students will be introduced to the tools, techniques, and fundamental skills of the field. The course will explore graphic design as an art form as well as its more commercial applications. In this class students will employ the use of a wide range of hand-made studio approaches to execute their projects, in addition to digital applications through the Adobe Creative Suite. Students will investigate graphic designs’ rich history as a medium for politics, propaganda, pop culture, and advertising. All skill levels welcome.

5 periods/cycle

One semester course (Spring) – 2 credits
Yearbook

Yearbook is an extra-curricular activity, not a Visual Arts course. Attempts will be made to schedule time for the club to meet during the school day, so please enter a request if interested.
Yearbook

Yearbook is a year-long course in which students gain hands-on experience in the publication of a K-12 school document. Students will learn to use digital cameras, photo editing software, and page layout programs. This class supports students in their development of strong communication and organizational skills by collaborating with various constituencies and departments within the school.

Prerequisites: none
Full year, 5x per cycle: 4 credits