As we return to a normal schedule, the Fine Arts continue to shine throughout the school, from incredible artwork and murals gracing the school walls to the sounds of choir, band, and theater filling the hallways.
In the Music World
Lower School Music
Middle and Upper School Bands
We had 4 high schoolers make the All District Band! Help us congratulate Arya Patel (bassoon), Julian Kasalu (Horn), Charlie Stowe (clarinet) and Jon Gantt (tuba)! We will find out this weekend as to how many middle schoolers will make it.
We recently had two university professors from WCU come and do a clinic with our woodwinds. The student really enjoyed listening to the performance and enjoyed the clinic! We greatly appreciate them coming!
Middle and Upper School Chorus
The middle and upper school choral students have been hard at work, despite the crazy weather, preparing for their concert on January 23rd. This concert features the works of American composers, from the Revolutionary War, to Native American songs, to Jazz music.
Congratulations to Makenna Johnson on being selected to join the Mars Hill University Festival Choral, performing in February. As part of this honor, Makenna is eligible for a $93,000 scholarship to Mars Hill University!
In the Theater World
MS/US Theatre
Auditions for the Upper School production of Mean Girls: High School Version start next week.
General Auditions are Monday, January 27th, and Tuesday, January 28th after school in Theatre Room 2202, with Callbacks scheduled for Wednesday, January 29t,h and Thursday, January 30th. If you like to sing and/or dance, we would love to have you audition.
We are offering Open Auditions for anyone interested in a speaking role, and Closed Auditions to anyone interested in a dance ensemble role.
If you would like to sign up for an audition spot, please use the Audition Sign Up form. More information is available at that link, and you can send any questions to Mr. Campbell.
In the Visual Arts World
Lower School Visual Art
This month, our Kindergarten through 3rd-grade artists are learning about the inspiring career of car designer Ed Welburn (learn more here), General Motors’ first African-American Vice President of Design. We’re exploring how art and design intersect, discussing how everyday objects like cars begin as artistic concepts before becoming functional creations.
To put this into practice, students are designing their own concept cars, starting with sketches and adding creative details to make their designs unique. This project is a fun way for them to express their creativity while understanding how art influences innovation and problem-solving. Ask your child about their concept car—they’ve been full of amazing ideas!
4th-grade art classes, students are exploring the intersection of art and design through a focused study of Ed Welburn, General Motors’ first African-American Vice President of Design and a trailblazer in the automotive industry. This lesson highlights how Welburn's artistic vision and innovative thinking shaped the creation of iconic car designs, demonstrating the vital role of creativity in solving practical design challenges. Building on this inspiration, students are designing their own concept cars using the digital art app Sketchpad. Through this process, they are learning foundational digital art techniques, including layering, color selection, and tool navigation, while also engaging in creative problem-solving. This hands-on approach introduces them to digital design as a dynamic medium for artistic expression, equipping them with valuable 21st-century skills in a creative and engaging way.
5th grade, students are diving into the expressive world of Ernie Barnes and Alberto Giacometti as they prepare for an exciting figure sculpture project. We’re exploring the dynamic, elongated forms of Giacometti’s sculptures and the vibrant, movement-filled paintings of Barnes, discussing how each artist captured the essence of human emotion and activity in their work. These studies provide inspiration as students sketch their own figures in motion, focusing on proportion, gesture, and expression. These sketches will serve as the foundation for their sculptures, where they’ll bring their designs to life using wire and other materials. This project encourages students to think critically about how art conveys movement and emotion while developing their skills in three-dimensional design.
For extra drawing fun check out my new YouTube channel Artonomous! I have guided drawings for all ages as well as some for practicing Spanish vocabulary. Subscribe to get updated when new videos go up. Contact me for any questions or concerns: clintonjackson@icimagine.org
Middle School Visual Art
Middle school has done a wonderful job finishing up our mural art. I am pleased to say that we have created over 40 public works ranging in size from 6 inches square to a full wall. This is the first time that I have done this project and I couldn’t be more pleased with the results. An unexpected benefit has been the empowerment that students have gained from putting their art out there for the world. I am very proud. Next, we are going to begin a unit with clay.
Below are a few stand out projects.
Upper School Visual Art
Art 1, students are in the midst of batiking!! Students are getting ready to dye their waxed designs and then they will learn to sew them into pillow!!
In Digital Art 1, students are working on Fractured Portraits. For this they take a portrait of a person and recreate it using vector drawn geometric shapes and fill them with colors.
Digital Photography 1 , students have been working to finish up projects and moving into working with color. We have been doing a lot of small lessons and technical project to Prepare for the next big shoot-Portraits!!!
Digital Photography 2, they are exploring different perspectives and ways to create photographic images. We are playing with the distorting effects of water and glass, and creating photographic images using a flatbed scanner.
Ceramics 1, they are busy creating a class favorite -Ugly Mugs! These mugs are based on traditional southern Ugly/Face Jugs. They have learned some history and done some visual research. Now they have their ideas and the faces are beginning to take shape.
Ceramics 2, they are venturing into new territory. They are creating Guggle Jugs. This is a challenging construction and they are figuring it out! I can’t wait to see if we can hear the gluggles when we pour from them.
AP Art studio, these students have been developing their written Sustained Investigation statements and working of the ideas and pieces they will use in their portfolios.