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Visual Arts
Visual and performing arts courses at the Lower School are taught by instructors who are practicing artists in their individual disciplines. Projects are often integrated with the social studies curriculum, and may incorporate visits to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. The Lower School visual arts program aims to offer children opportunities for self-expression, creativity, innovating thinking, and the development of confidence and pleasure in the creative process.
At the Middle and Upper Schools, the arts continue to be a vital component of each student's education. Through a wide range of courses, guest artists, and extracurricular offerings, students are exposed to many art forms. The arts curriculum moves from technical skills in each medium to developing an understanding of the expressive and conceptual possibilities of art. The goal of the program is for students to gain a greater awareness of the place of art in human experience through the making of art. In addition to BB&N's special collaboration with the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the School's Cambridge location makes it easy for many teachers to use the performances, galleries, and other museums in Greater Boston as a springboard for their curriculum.
For more than 10 years, BB&N and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston have shared an unique collaboration. Every fall, faculty members attended a special reception to learn about the resources available at the MFA. Art, English, history, and other faculty use the works in the Museum's collections for direct and indirect curriculum projects. In April of each year, a celebration is hosted at the MFA where Upper and Middle School students lead tours, demonstrate their art making skills, and mount an exhibition of their art. It is truly exciting for a 14 year-old to have their artwork hanging in the MFA!
CURRICULUM
At BB&N the arts are a vital component of each student's education. Through a wide range of courses, guest artists, and extracurricular offerings, students are exposed to both the performing and the visual arts. We encourage all students to get involved, to take risks, and to discover what art making is all about. The arts curriculum moves from technical skills in each medium to developing an understanding of the expressive and conceptual possibilities of art. The goal of the program is for students to gain a greater awareness of the place of art in human experience through the making of art.
Visual and performing arts courses are taught by instructors who are practicing artists in their individual disciplines. Projects are often integrated with the social studies curriculum, and may incorporate visits to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. In addition to this institution, our location in Cambridge makes it easy for many teachers to use the performances, the galleries and the museums of the Greater Boston area as a springboard for their curriculum.
Lower School
The Lower School visual arts program aims to offer children opportunities for self-expression, creativity, innovative thinking and the development of confidence and pleasure in the creative process.
During the Beginners and Kindergarten years, students work with their homeroom teachers using a variety of creative materials. In grades 1 through 6, students work more formally with art teachers to develop basic skills in visualization, observation from nature, design, painting and three-dimensional construction.
The woodworking program begins in Grade 1, where work with paper-making, origami and cardboard helps children learn to visualize three dimensional forms and to understand how different parts fit together to become a whole. In woodworking shop, students learn to use a variety of tools in safe and effective ways.
Middle School
At the Middle School each student is exposed to all art offerings: drama, music, and a three-dimensional and two dimensional visual arts course. Working in conjunction with the history department, the visual and performing arts concentrate on aspects of Latin American arts, culminating in "Carnival," a lively and colorful festival of different areas in Latin America.
In three-dimensional art, students work in a variety of different media to express their ideas. Classes in the two-dimensional arts focus on drawing and painting, color-mixing, and the use of a variety of materials.
In Grade 8, students participate in concentrated immersion in two semester-long arts courses of their choice, which meet three times a week, including one doubleblock. Students choose visual arts for one semester and performing arts for one semester. Students choose from two-dimensional art, three-dimensional art, drama and music; electives may include wheel-thrown pottery, stained glass, the Great Goddess, portraits in clay, printmaking, monuments, painting and drawing.
Upper School
Students in Grade Nine take one semester of visual arts and one semester of performing arts. These courses introduce students to the elements and techniques of two very different arts disciplines. The visual arts choices include Ceramics, Painting and Drawing, Photography, Printmaking, and Woodworking. Other Upper School visual art courses include:
Drawing and Painting (Grades 10-12) focuses on drawing and its key role in learning to see actively. Using pencil, charcoal, pastel, cut paper, crayon, and pen and ink the student explores how lines, tones, shapes and textures can create a sense of feeling and space. As the class progresses, they explore painting, an in-depth study of color and more self-directed projects. Using ink wash, watercolor, acrylic and, in some cases, oil paints, drawing with a brush and working large are emphasized. This course is a prerequisite for Advanced Studio Art.
Advanced Studio Art (Grades 11 and 12) is open to a limited number of experienced drawing and painting students and this course is theme-oriented, with strong emphasis on the development of a sense of the student's personal vision. A variety of field trips, outside readings and class discussions are scheduled to familiarize students with a wide range of art forms. Work completed in this course can be used as a portfolio for possible AP credit in Studio Art.
Ceramics 1 (Grades 10-12) focuses on learning the basic techniques of handbuilding. During this practice, students are encouraged to find their own direction and aesthetic sense. Projects enlist both technical and conceptual thinking. In the second semester, students are encouraged to define and pursue an area of personal interest.
Ceramics 11 (Grades 11 and 12) is a course for students who have a basic knowledge of the ceramic techniques of handbuilding and/or wheelthrowing. New approaches and opportunities are introduced and students are encouraged to go deeper in their own explorations of the medium, determining a personal direction for their work with the aim of creating a cohesive body of work.
Advanced Placement History of Art (Grade 12; limited to 12 students) provides a chronological survey of painting, sculpture and architecture, from their beginnings through the Post-Modern era. Class will meet three times weekly, including a double period during which the class will make weekly visits to local museums, particularly the Museum of Fine Arts. The focus of these visits will be student presentations on masterpieces in these collections that illustrate the history of art. Students are expected to take the AP exam in the spring.
Printmaking (Afternoon classes; open to all) is an exciting way of working on papers of all sorts. The artist creates a drawing or design on metal or wood that can be run through a printing press multiple times, exploring numerous variations of color and texture. Students will learn various techniques, including drypoint, woodblock, and monotypes. Classes meet Tuesday through Thursday afternoons during fall, winter, and/or spring.
Photography (Grades 10-12) explores the art of black and white photography, beginning with basic camera and darkroom techniques, and moving deeply into the expressive power of the medium. Regular shooting assignments encourage students to explore form, abstraction, portraiture, documentary, and subjective photography. Second semester students are introduced to digital imaging and have the choice thereafter of working in the chemical or digital labs.
Advanced Photography (Grades 11 and 12) is a full-year course is for students serious about extending their exploration of the photographic medium. We begin with advanced techniques in fine printing and move on to explore the many ways the traditional methods can be altered. During the second semester, in addition to special assignments, students build a professional portfolio of their work.
Woodworking and Design (Grades 10-12) provides a solid foundation in the techniques and skills used in traditional and contemporary woodworking. Students are taught how to design their own projects. After learning basic skills in joinery, lathe turning, bent laminations and wood carving, they design and construct the projects of their choice under teacher supervision. Tools can range from chip carving knives to Macintosh computers.
Wood Sculpture and Design (Grades 11 and 12) is an advanced course for experienced students who already have a basic foundation in woodworking and design skills. Through the execution of individualized woodworking projects, students learn to incorporate more advanced sculptural and aesthetic concepts into their woodworking. Examples of possible projects are furniture making, boat building, wood turning and sculptural carving.
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