Art is Finally at Home: Adventures in the New Studio

By Leslie Yagar, Katie Ritz, and Courtney Zarrilli 

 

Everything we need for our projects is organized in cubbies, drawers, and shelves. The best part is that everything fits behind closed doors so there is no mess!

The floor-to-ceiling windows bring beautiful northern light into the rooms. Our windows face north bringing in cool, reflective light that stays consistent throughout the day. It is never too bright or too dull, therefore, colors stay the same because there are fewer shadows. 

Clean-up has been made easier with the addition of seven sinks for washing hands and materials. We added four additional sinks to our new studio to help speed up the clean-up process. The deep trough sinks make scrubbing palettes, washing brushes, and ringing out sponges far less messy because the water stays contained in the sinks.

 

The new ceramics studio is fantastic! The seventh and eighth graders are having a wonderful time working on the new wheels. There are twelve, which allows more students to take a ceramics class and learn the skills of throwing and trimming pots. Not only is it twice as large as the former ceramics studio, it has more than triple the amount of sinks! Seven trough style sinks make clean-up much easier and faster and allow the students to spend more time working with the clay. The abundance of storage space in the studio allows the students to find the tools they need more easily and create many more masterpieces! There are two new tables that have removable canvas covers for an easy change from wedging wet clay work to a convenient space for glazing bisque pieces. The kiln room is twice the size of the previous one and now gives us the ability to have three large electric ceramic kilns and a smaller glass kiln for firing our students’ work in ceramics and glass.  The students love the opportunities the new ceramics room provides and can’t wait to improve their skills every week!


Middle School Art

Technology in the art room has brought art history lectures to a whole new level; allowing students to interact through their iPads to play history games that cover our topics. The ELMO projector has provided students the opportunity to see art material and tool demonstrations front and center as they play live on the massive smart wall. 

 

There is no shortage of amazing features in the art room, but perhaps the most wonderful thing of all is having a safe and fun space for our young artists to explore, get a little messy, and enjoy the creative process. 

We are so thankful for our beautiful new facilities. The additional resources have enhanced the classroom experience for the students. We are able to provide our students with a comprehensive art education that engages their creativity and piques their curiosity, and continues to enhance their skills.