Visual Arts
At The Storm King School, students can pursue precise observational drawing, expressive personal statements, build 3-Dimensional models, or explore the digital realm with photography and design. SKS helps students reach their artistic potential, and learn critical thinking and problem solving skills for the broader academic realm.
Our curriculum is designed to stimulate creativity and enhance visual literacy. Students hang their works throughout the campus, host exhibitions in the larger Cornwall-on-Hudson community, and reproduce their work in the school arts magazine, The Voice.
SKS students follow a traditional art-foundation program. At every step of the way, they are encouraged to explore their own interests and ideas for art-making assignments, whether in watercolors or in graphic design. Studio activities often involve creative problem solving with group projects in sculpture and printmaking while taking advantage of our natural environment. Drawing and composition are emphasized at every level of study, along with the value of constructive criticism. Students receive individual feedback from our accomplished instructors and from classmates through group critiques. In the digital art courses, students gain valuable experience creating graphics for the Visual and Performing Arts department.
For those interested in pursuing visual arts professions, our art teachers and college counselor provide valuable guidance on arts careers and art-school applications. Our advanced courses emphasize portfolio development and students attend National Portfolio Day to meet with college representatives. These students can take college level course work with our AP Studio Art or AP Art History courses.
Classes Offered
Freshman studies cover world history and the art and culture that shaped that history. The art a culture creates becomes the physical record of a civilization. It mirrors the culture and frames the history. The culture a civilization creates is, in turn, the catalyst for the civilization’s achievements which is then reflected in the art work. The study of the art a civilization creates and the history of that civilization are so intertwined, that studying them both gives the student the fullest scope and deepest understanding of any historical era. Freshmen study how human cultures grow using common themes, rather than how individual cultures grow in semi-isolation. These studies are designed to teach world history and art starting with early paleolithic cultures through to the beginnings of the modern world and the 20th century. The course looks at history not through strict chronological study, but through thematic study (adaptation, conflict, self-identification, defining the physical world). Art not only reflects these themes, but pushes culture forward toward new definitions of the themes.
There is a writing and research component in both aspects of the course that includes analyzing historical eras and the art and architecture connections to the cultures. There is also a hands-on component that will involve creating art work based on historical models, exploring the techniques, and adding personal expression to truly understand the motivations of the cultures involved.
This course is a pre-requisite for all students unless they pass a portfolio review to place into a higher-level course. The technical focus of the course is on color theory, observational drawing, and the elements and principals of design. Students will be exposed to watercolors, acrylics, mixed media, sculpture, and ceramics. There is a cultural component wherein students learn the function of art in different historical eras which is assessed through student presentations, quizzes, and essays.
(Students required to have taken Art 1, Digital Design, or equivalent)
In this course we will explore digital photography in relation to fine art. Students will be introduced to the world of photography through digital cameras and Adobe Photoshop. Students will be asked to produce artwork and participate in class discussion to better understand the physical, conceptual and theoretical characteristics of the electronic media as it pertains to art and art making. Emphasis will be placed on the students’ development of understanding of the evolution of art, photography and electronic imaging as well as art history. This knowledge will help them to produce expressive and thoughtful works of art.
This course is a seminar art history course. It is taught following the AP art guidelines, and at the end of the year the students must pass the AP art exam to receive the college credit. The course meets both a history requirement and an art requirement.