The Art Program at Nativity
Our goal is to build enthusiasm and literacy in the visual arts.
Enthusiasm (en thoo ze az em) n, intense or eager
interest. Zeal.
I want our students to leave Nativity knowing that the visual arts
can be an enriching and exciting part of a full life. I hope they
will experience self expression, appreciate beauty and understand
the role of the arts in culture.
Literacy (lit er a ce), n, to
be able to read and write.
Although most of our students will not
become professional artists, they will all have the opportunities
to make aesthetic judgments in their homes, communities and jobs.
They will become patrons and supporters of the arts in various forms.
I hope they will develop an understanding of various media and the
ability to look critically at their own and others' work
.
Nativity's program is based in a teaching method called Discipline
Based Arts Education. It is a method that incorporates not only studio
work but also art history, art criticism and aesthetics. Each studio
project is inspired by an individual artist's work or a cultural artifact.
Aspects of the elements and principals of design are woven into the
instruction and projects. We discuss the cultural and or historical
influences on an artwork. Students in the upper grades use more formal
instruments to look critically at their own and other's artwork. Each
grade completes at least one drawing, one painting, one 3 dimensional
and one print making project every year. We have a Kiln and students
work in clay at least every other year.
Area
of emphasis
Kindergarten: Art elements: color, line, shape and texture
1st Grade: Art to wear, fish, patterns in art landscapes
2nd Grade: Portraits,masks, weaving, sacred art, self-taught artists
3rd Grade: Authors / illustrators, realistic, abstract and non-objective art
4th Grade: Art from around the world
5th Grade: Introduction to principles of design such as balance, rhythm, repetition; cave paitning; Egyptian art, art from ancient Greece and Rome
6th Grade: Art from the Middle Ages to the 20th century; architecture, origami
7th Grade: Revisit principles of design. Art movements (e.g., pop art, cubism, etc.), sculpture
8th Grade: Self portraits, contemprary artists
Field
Trips
Third grade through 8th grade students
also experience one visual arts related field trip each year. The
goal is to introduce the students to the rich cultural resources of
the Cincinnati area. Field trips for this year include:
3rd Grade: Cincinnati Art Museum, creating fossils in clay in French Park
4th Grade: Taft Museum
5th Grade: TBA
6th Grade: Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption
7th Grade: Contemporary Arts Center
8th Grade: Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park
Publishing
Center
Each year every student at Nativity completes
a handmade book using archival materials (e.g. acid free papers and
glues that will not deteriorate over time). The projects combine the
joint efforts of all the members of the Nativity community: parents,
students, teachers and the administration. A significant amount of art
class time is devoted to the creation of these unique and beautiful
pieces which are on display at the publishing center open house each
May
Enrichment
Opportunities
Each summer, Art Camp gives interested students the opportunity to explore
hand built ceramics in an intensive, week long, day camp setting.
