On a recent late April afternoon, bathed in a sunlit glow, Olivia Dean’s melodious vocals serenading in the background, the newly renovated Upper School Art Studio is once again serving as a peaceful oasis for our students — artists and amateurs alike.
Students in our Advanced Art Studio course were making good use of the space, either putting the finishing touches on pieces for their end-of-year showcase or working on a project of their own design.
Advanced Art Studio — a rigorous year-long course that requires a prerequisite and an application to take — helps to prepare students for college-level art classes. The highly individualized course, taken this year by six seniors and one junior, broadens and deepens each student’s artistic practice.
In other US FOCUS (elective) courses, these students explained, everyone learns the same thing and often completes the same project using the same rubric. In this class, students are encouraged to pursue the art form they are most passionate about, with guidance and support from their teacher, challenge themselves and try new things. This was evident on this day as every student sat immersed in their artwork, each creating something unique.
One artist working with linocut prints (a form of relief printing where artists carve designs into linoleum blocks, ink them and press onto paper or fabric) explained that she first learned the concept in 2D Art & Design. For this student, who likes “mixed media, texture and 3D elements,” this course allows her to experiment and feel confident doing so. She highlighted this by holding up a delightful ceramic mug with a nose in the center and two ears as its handles.
Diptych technique, which is two separate works that come together to form one unified piece, is another medium she enjoys. “I like 3D architecture – I used bottle tabs for one project – but during the winter term I moved into painting.” Even when pursuing the abstract, she said, “I like precision.”
“Colored pencil realism is my favorite,” remarked another student, who shared a stunning self-portrait and a piece depicting a peaceful campsite beside a lake. With the desire to try a new medium, the Upper Schooler pivoted to acrylic painting and has enjoyed that work, as well. While she’s always been interested in art, she’s appreciated being able to take specialized classes in Upper School.
While oil painting is another student’s favorite medium, they’re currently working on a ceramic bowl – beautifully carving the clay to depict a flower. “I came to Chapin in Class 8 and art became much more accessible,” the student noted.
Another artist shared that through this course, they’ve been expanding how they draw animals. “Usually I draw from photos, but now they’re coming from my own imagination.”
On the far side of the room, two seniors stood before a large canvas mural, which, they explained, is a special collaborative effort, painted by every member of the US Art Club (which is open to students in Classes 8-12).
The inspiration for said mural is New York City and the views they see every day. Split into three rows with three squares, each one features a unique city-themed painting.
The students emphasized their goal of cohesion, saying, “The top [squares] represents the sky view, the middle is your eye level and the bottom is the ground or underground.” With Chapin serving as a hallmark for every club member, the iconic double brown doors sit in the center of the piece. Other squares include a vivid painting of the steps at Carl Schurz Park, a soccer ball at Asphalt Green and a pigeon in flight.
One senior, who has been a co-leader of the Art Club since they were in Class 8, shared that the club is a space with “the freedom to explore and there’s no pressure to achieve a specific goal.” They noted the same applies to Advanced Art Studio.
Another artist, using acrylic paint to create a vibrant aquarium scene with blues of varying hues, said they "don’t really have one preferred type" and have used watercolors and clay and, this year, tried oil painting for the first time.
Though our student artists’ preferred mediums differed, one consensus was the same: The new studio is a dream. Thanks to the Class of 2023, whose senior gift helped to make this space possible, the studio is significantly larger than the previous US Art room and boasts more natural light and ample storage. The studio is also centrally located so students can stop by to see their peers’ work or, perhaps, sit down and find themselves lost in inspiration and creation.
