Upper School Visual Arts
| Drawing I, II, III Painting I, II, III Ceramics I, II, III Art I, II |
3D Design I, II Photography I, II Printmaking I, II Art History |
Public Art Visual Art Program AP Studio Art |
Art Spotlight: The Memory Project
The Memory Project is an organization that links children living in orphanages throughout the world with high school artists from the United States. The student artists in Jill Hoefgen’s Drawing and Painting class use photos provided by the orphanages to draw or paint the portraits of the children who then receive the artworks as keepsakes from their childhoods. In years past, San Domenico students have created portraits for children in Egypt, Iraq, Mexico, Myanmar, Uganda and Thailand. This year, the students painted and drew portraits for children living in Ecuador.
Art classes are taught as an academic discipline, which involves in-depth study, development of skills, personal integrity, and creativity. Our courses focus on the California state standards of excellence in teaching—including creative expression, historical and cultural context, aesthetic valuing, connections, relationships, and applications.
Students can take classes in a variety of media, such as ceramics, sculpture, painting, drawing, 2-D design, printmaking, and photography. All of our classes are offered at beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels. For the serious artist we offer Advanced Placement Studio Art 2-D and 3-D.
We offer an Art History class and contemporary art class, Public Art: Controversy, Interpretation, and Implementation, designed to engage the students in the art world and allow them to create public art here on campus. In addition to the studio classes and the study of the history of art, trips to the Bay Area fine arts museums and local artists' studios augment the curriculum.
Studios
The upper school art studios are located in a separate building on campus, nestled among a variety of trees and suspended over a creek. Students spend a few minutes walking to the art studios, leaving their other classes behind as they immerse themselves in the natural beauty. Wildlife is frequently seen and gives an inspiring touch to the setting. The large spacious studios have high ceilings with skylights and one wall of glass panel doors, providing excellent natural light and an invigorating place to create art.
Exhibitions
It is our philosophy to provide art students with as many exhibition opportunities as possible, emulating the lifestyle of a professional artist. Recent student exhibitions have taken place at Revolution 9 Gallery in Fairfax, Marin Jewelers Guild in San Rafael, and the Earth Team in Berkeley. Every year our students participate in the Marin County Artisans Art Show and consistently win merit and honorable mention awards. In the past four years, two San Domenico students have won the Best of Show award. In addition to the exhibitions off campus, we also display our work in a rotating show in the gallery of the Hall of the Arts as well as other locales around campus.