Visual Arts

At Aquinas Academy, art classes nurture students' creativity and critical thinking, enliven their study of history and Catholicism, and deepen their appreciation for beauty. Students learn art techniques, build their technical skill with various medias, and broaden their understanding of history and culture.

Lower School

In Lower School art classes increase each child's ability to observe, and to be open to inspiration from the surrounding world and from inside themselves. The students learn skills that they will build upon in future lessons and years: color theory, perspective, proportion, contrast, and drawing, painting, sculpting, and printing skills. Students start to learn art history, being exposed to a variety of periods, artists, and styles.

Middle School

Middle School students build upon basic skills and techniques and are challenged to push their creativity. With their more developed abilities, they are encouraged to make more careful observations and find inspiration from the surrounding world and from inside themselves. They are allowed more creative control in projects, and are introduced to new and more advanced medias. In art history, students are tested on artists and time periods. They are also quizzed on their knowledge of techniques and terminologies.

High School

The goals for the High School Art course are: to develop age appropriate exercise so students gain experience in the use of different, more advanced artistic techniques; to familiarize students with the successive art history periods, including art history terminology and symbolism in art works; to provide the opportunity for the students to focus on their artistic skill of preference; and to push their creative boundaries and problem solving skills. As upperclassmen, students may elect to take an advanced Mixed Media course, which includes oil painting, photorealistic drawing, multi-color relief printmaking and a student designed project.