Visual Arts

A student in the Visual Arts program at Loyola Blakefield, through studio experience and the study of Art History, develops an understanding of art as a form of personal expression shaped by cultural, social, and spiritual influences. We believe that the Visual Arts are an important aspect of the liberal arts tradition. It has historically been a tenet of the Jesuit educational approach to learning.

Middle School and Upper School students are offered a variety of courses spanning traditional, digital, and experimental methods of making art. Emphasis is placed on creative growth, self-expression, and self-discipline. Our teachers work collectively to identify student strengths and direct them to personalize their experience.

Students in grades 6-9 explore the arts with foundation studio courses, learning the language of art and understanding aesthetics. (Upcoming 9^th grade students may submit a portfolio during the admissions process to be considered for more advanced elective courses.)

Students in grades 10-12 can pursue personal interests with electives such as Drawing/Mixed Media, Advanced Studio Honors, Ceramics, Advanced Ceramics, Photography/Digital Media, and Photography/Digital Media Honors. Students will learn how to collaborate in critiques, develop a portfolio, and thoughtfully present their art for juried shows. Film Study, open to seniors only, tracks the aesthetics, history, and development of film.

The requirement of History of Art supports Loyola’s mission to teach students to be intellectually ambitious, giving them the opportunity to understand how art reflects the world in which it was created. Knowledge obtained in this course enables students to understand and connect to art experiences as they continue their journey.

Advanced Ceramics

This course, typically for juniors and seniors, is for students who have successfully completed the Ceramics I class. Ceramics II continues the investigation of the clay medium through projects and exercises allowing individual interpretation and expression. Students can strengthen techniques and skills including firing, glazing, hand building, and mixed media. They are encouraged to apply this experience to works informed by their personal interests.
Advanced Photo/Digital Media Honors

Expanding on the technical and conceptual knowledge gained in either Photography I or Digital Media I, students enrolled in Photo and Digital Media Honors will begin to develop personally designed projects. Students will create a portfolio highlighting their individual interests within photography or digital media. Previous student projects have included interactive video installations, audio/music recordings, alternative darkroom process installation, book design and production, website development, and film production.
Advanced Photo/Digital Media II Honors

Students create, explore, and execute personally designed projects within the world of either photography or digital media that will further develop individuals’ portfolios. The course combines conceptual and aesthetic theory of Advanced Photo/Digital Media I Honors with advanced technical ability. Media ranges from graphic design to video editing, sound production to advanced photo editing workflows. At the culmination of the class, students will publicly present a significantly developed work.
Advanced Studio Honors

The students in this course have successfully completed one or more art electives or submitted a portfolio and been approved to move forward more independently to explore the Visual arts under the guidance of the art teacher. The students will personalize their creative experience with a variety of media, participate in discussions and critiques, and assemble their own art portfolio. Participation in field trips and interaction with guest artists will connect their studio learning to art in the world around them.

The course culminates with a juried art show that they will help to organize and present their work.
Advanced Studio II Honors

The students in this course have completed Advanced Studio I or submitted a portfolio of their work and been appropriately placed based on their skills. They have chosen to dedicate time both in and out of the classroom to create a personal portfolio of self-expression. They will focus on exploring the integration of the arts in the world around them through frequent visits to museums and galleries. The students will culminate their journey with a juried show which will be organized by them.
Advanced Studio III Honors

The students in this course have completed Advanced Studio II Honors and are ready to narrow their focus to a more specific body of artwork. As seniors, they will set their sites on an area of special interest in the arts and commit to producing a portfolio that will showcase their talent and their dedication. Museum and gallery visits will occur throughout the year. Guest speakers will be invited to inspire their creativity within various fields. The year will culminate with a juried show.
Ceramics I

This elective course for sophomores, juniors and seniors investigates the clay medium through projects and exercises allowing individual interpretation and expression. Students will learn a variety of techniques and skills including firing, glazing and staining with a concentration on hand building as well as mixed media approaches to 3-d design. Ongoing critiques and dialogues help the student to evolve a personal style and understanding. NOTE: Freshman can take this course with a teacher recommendation.
Digital Media I

In this class, students explore a number of disciplines within the realm of Digital Media. Units of focus include graphic design, video production, audio composition, photo manipulation, and web design. Students will work with an extensive range of professional digital media software, such as Photoshop, Illustrator, Processing, Final Cut Pro, and GarageBand.
Drawing - Mixed Media

Drawing/Mixed Media is an elective course meeting all year and open to Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors (exceptional cases may include Freshmen students who have submitted a portfolio for review). The curriculum focuses on sequential instruction for drawing, with focus on perspective, portrait drawing and observational drawing in a variety of media. Projects, critiques, and discussions related to the history of art will build a sensitive perception of the visual arts. Students will be strengthening their drawing skills based on the Elements of Art and the Principles of Design and connecting the relationship of drawing to other art forms such as painting, printmaking, and 3-dimensional design.
History of Art

History of Art is a one semester course that is required for graduation. This course focuses on the major artists and movements in the history of the Visual Arts in the Western world from Paleolithic Man through the present day. Through studying the work of a variety of individuals and groups, as well as the social and political environments that have influenced them, the students may begin to understand the evolution of art in the Western world and the importance and impact of self-expression in our daily lives.

Students will expand their art vocabulary and be able to analyze works of art.
Photography I

This elective course is designed to provide students with a strong background in both traditional and contemporary practices of photography. Students will learn how the camera works, various technical and aesthetic approaches to photographic composition, and workflow strategies. By the end of the year, students will have begun to develop a unique style of their own.
Studio Art 6

This full-year course is designed to allow students to explore a variety of art media in a studio setting. While classes are generally “hands on”, slides, films and the study of art history are also included. Goals include individual expression, creative exploration and personal sense of accomplishment.
Studio Art 7

Studio Art 7 - This cours is designed to allow students to explore a variety of art media in a studio setting. While classes are generally “hands on”, slides, films and the study of art history are also included. Goals include individual expression, creative exploration and personal sense of accomplishment.
Studio Art 8

Art 8 is an elective, full year, full credit course. Students in Art 8 will have the opportunity to expand on their understanding of foundational creative strategies and artistic skills acquired in the 6^th and 7^th grades. Students will learn observational drawing techniques, experiment with various media, and build their confidence in creative problem solving techniques.
Studio Art 9

This semester course for freshmen establishes a solid foundation for a congruous connection between electives offered in the Loyola Upper School. Journaling, experimentation, and research, lead to creative project-based assessments, both two and three dimensional. These projects are based on the application of developed skills and a variety of media. Students generate projects through an understanding of aesthetics as exemplified through the work of renowned artists, both past and present. They recognize the influences of the arts on our society and the importance of creative self-expression for everyone.