St. Joseph Marquette Catholic School offers the arts as part of its commitment to educating the total child. Visual art is offered from first through eighth grade. In this program, children are exposed to a wide array of media using STEAM to inspire children to use the skills they are learning in their classroom and apply it using art. Skills can be developed from simple to complex.
Elementary – From grades one to five, children receive art once a week. My goal is for your child to:
- Learn how to use the “tools” of art discipline, i.e. the elements and principles of art, to help him or her create effective artwork.
- Understand art’s connection to his or her study of history, science and literature, as projects often intersect with those classroom subjects.
- Explore a variety of media used in drawing, painting, sculpture, print making, metal tooling, up cycling, and collage and the techniques required for each.
- Become aware of the major movements in art history as well as art from different cultures.
- Experiment and create his or her own unique solutions to problems of increasing complexity with creative energy and confidence.
- Be proud of his or her accomplishments. Your child’s artwork is always matted and put on display in the St. Joseph and Mercy building hallways. This exposure helps them to understand that everyone’s work is valued. It also builds excitement and anticipation for upcoming projects!
- Explore the many careers in art and how artists can take their skills to the next level. This may include using technology to bring a child’s art to life, learn how an illustrator creates a scene before characters, or how an architect uses math to figure out the dimensions of a building the are designing.
Middle School
Middle school art offers your child one quarter of small classes (from 10 to 12 students). The studio setting provides for individualized discussion and critique. Your child is challenged to use a variety of materials and techniques to:
- Solve problems which require that he or she make personal choices to express his or her own uniqueness.
- Learn to use tools and techniques required for advanced drawing, painting and sculpture.
- Explore modern artists and art movements, and their relationship to culture.
- Be an exhibiting artist on Art-Drama Night, an evening at the end of the quarter when visual and performing arts come together to showcase students’ talents and efforts. It is truly a celebration of student creativity and achievement for the St. Joseph Marquette community!
- Get personal advice and direction into High School art that would meet each child’s individual interests as well as mentorship in art careers and the path it takes to achieve a student’s individual goal.
