Fine Arts

The goal of our fine arts curriculum is to help all of the children in our program become adept at expressing their thoughts and feelings through the language of art. Our program is designed to give children numerous points of entry into this domain, and to provide the kinds of tools and techniques that can help extend their abilities, open their options and ignite their passions.

Our approach differs from many programs' in that it is premised on the belief that fine arts education is every bit as useful over the course of a lifetime as any other subject. Moreover, we believe that a rich arts program enhances the learning process in other areas of the curriculum. For example, our teachers use drawing and painting as a powerful literacy tool by helping children create visual narratives and symbolic representations of their ideas. Many of our art projects morph into scientific experiments, multicultural adventures or explorations into the realm of emotion. Children in our program learn about art, but just as important, they use art to learn.

At the heart of the fine arts curriculum is our commitment to providing a rich variety of materials and mediums for our students explore. From the earliest ages, children have opportunities to experiment with the full range of traditional art supplies as well with many unconventional materials and substances. We also consistently turn to nature as a source for materials and explore creative ways of transforming discarded or "found objects" into works of art. Young children use these materials to create things like sculptures, drawings, paintings, collages and journals.

As children progress, their explorations will become more challenging by expanding into new areas such as woodworking, pottery, print-making, architectural design, book-binding, photography, digital art, video, animation and beyond. Children will also be invited into the creative process at Blue Man Group, and given the opportunity to try their hands at things such as "paint drumming," musical instrument design, lighting design, image projection, costume design, kinetic sculpture, computer modeling and electro-luminescent 3-D animation.

Our art studio is a vital part of the program, providing children with a dedicated resource to explore avenues of expression in a focused and supportive environment. In the studio, our creative arts specialists encourage children to take risks, learn new techniques, develop deeper levels of insight and push existing competencies to the point of mastery. These specialists draw upon training in both fine arts and child development to facilitate creative explorations that live in the "sweet spot" between accessibility and challenge, and that allow children to discover the rhythms of their own creative flow states. Our creative arts specialists are also trained in helping children express their thoughts, feelings, internal experiences and interpretations of the world through visual means.

Our teachers provide historical and cultural context for the arts by teaching the fundamentals of art history. Visits to local museums and galleries help further both children's appreciation for the arts and their understanding of the role art plays in our society. Special trips to the studios of working artists provide children with additional insight and perspective on the creative process.

Throughout the year, we support children's work-in-progress by discussing and documenting their artistic processes. We celebrate their finished projects by displaying their work prominently in the classroom, in online galleries or in art exhibitions for the entire community to enjoy.

Every child who passes through our program will experience being a vibrant, creative force with a unique, artistic voice.