Open Studies Course Registration

Grades 3-5: One of the most exciting ways of making art is working with sculptural media to create three-dimensional art forms. In this course, students use sculptural media including wire, plaster, wood, clays and other natural materials to create sculptures, assemblages and installations. In the process, students gain experience with many sculptural forms and media, discover a variety of artists and heighten spatial and kinesthetic awareness. Using sketches and working from observation, memory and imagination, students make personally meaningful work that is inspired by their interests and objects of our everyday world.

Grades K-2: Get ready to move and make art in this fun and energetic course! In this class, students will explore how movement can inspire art as you use their body to create dynamic lines, bold marks, and expressive paintings. Young artists will experiment with different tools and techniques to capture the energy of motion, from swirls and swoops to zigzags and splatters. This class encourages creativity, self-expression, and a playful approach to making art that comes alive with movement!

Grades K-2: For the student who loves being outdoors and exploring the world around them, this course will encourage students to take on the role of explorers and artists! Students will experiment with paint, modeling clay, and mixed media, responding to the many aspects of environment. Activities include nature-inspired art projects, creating animal sculptures from clay, making leaf prints, and painting landscapes. Students will also engage in sensory exploration, using materials like sand, water, and natural textures to inspire their creativity and connect with the outdoors.

Grades 3-5: For the young artist who loves to draw, this fast-paced course offers a little bit of everything. Students create drawings from memory, observation, imagination, and in response to the art of master artists. Different approaches, tools, materials, and techniques are presented and explored using a diverse range of media, from pen and pencil to color explorations in pastel and paint. With the introduction of each new medium and technique, students create studies and sketches as preparation for several larger, refined pieces for the final art show. Emphasis is on exposure to a variety of traditional and non-traditional drawing media and surfaces, with hands-on process work and experimentation at the heart of learning each new drawing technique or medium.

Grade 6-8: In this course, students will draw from a live model as they investigate the human form. Students will use various 2D drawing media as they work through a progression of drawings that investigate how different approaches to the figure can address mood, and emotion. From fast paced gesture drawings to intermediate poses, students will produce a portfolio of figure drawings that range in style from traditional to more contemporary and conceptual approaches that embody a student's personal artistic vision.

Grades 6-8: Students will unlock their imaginations through clay, drawing, painting, and papier mâché as they explore visual expression and material exploration while telling magical stories. They will design papier mâché dragon eggs that hatch delightful surprises, craft ancient treasure maps to learn the foundations of cartography, create illustrated field journals to document discoveries, and sculpt and glaze clay ‘magic lamps.’

Grades 9-12: In this course, students will learn the fundamentals of portraiture, with a focus on analyzing the planes of the face and creating striking compositions through dramatic lighting and deep shadows. They will explore a variety of 2D materials and learn how markmaking can convey a range of emotions in their portraits. Through out the course, students will refine their ability to capture the essence of their subject while mastering drawing techniques that emphasize bold contrasts, dynamic light, and sculptural forms of the human face.

Grades 9-12: This course emphasizes illustration as a tool for creating rich and immersive worlds. Students will develop detailed illustrations of illustrative environments, that suggest story through a single image. Working from reference and imagination, students will explore composition, mood, lighting, and visual style to strengthen their illustrative voice. Projects may include illustrated scenes, character concept illustrations, and environment artwork, helping students learn how illustrators communicate narrative, atmosphere, and world-building through finished images rather than sequential panels.

Grades 9-12: This class is designed for the student who loves graphic novels and comics! In this course, students will delve into the fascinating world of character design, exploring not only the physical aspects but also delving into the rich realm of personalities, facial expressions, and living environments. Focused on figure drawing, individuality, and personality traits, students will develop the skills needed to accurately portray their characters' unique qualities. Students will learn to craft a visual narrative and how to design compelling characters that extend beyond the physical appearance.