Classrooms Lower School Art Overview
| Gretel Huglin Ridge
Lower School Art Specialist This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it (805) 969-7732 ext:300 |
Lori Moore Assistant Art Teacher This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it (805) 969-7732 ext:337 |
Introduction to Lower School Art at Crane
The Crane School Art department isvibrant and exciting, due to the combination of an outstanding facility andinnovative teachers. Art making is a part of everyday life. Crane offers alarge, natural light studio and exterior deck, including 2 printing presses, 9throwing wheels, HD projection system, and high quality art materials.
In the art studio, students workwithin an all school themes Our themes allow students to explore a wide range of ideas, media, concepts, and approaches to art making. Each summer art teachers meet to design a unique curriculum for that year. This allows our faculty to reinvent and maintain a fresh outlook on art making today. Our emphasis is about innovative problem solving, risk-taking, and the process of living a creative life…long, long, after Crane!
Exposure and Art
We feel that exposing children to awide range of media, artists and experiences, allows each child to explore, stretch, and refine their artistic voice. While many of the projects culminate in wonderful objects, emphasis is placed on the process of how one gets there. We hope that each child leaves the Lower School with a sense that he or she can make something that expresses their feelings or thoughts with confidence.
Many of the lower school projects lead into studies that are happening in their own classrooms as well. This allows students to come to the subject from multiple viewpoints. Due to the close proximity of core teachers to the art studio, collaboration is possible. For example, children are able to learn about the skeleton of the endangered species in science, research that animal’s habitat in social studies, and then sculpt the creature in clay during art!
Art is valued at Crane
Unlike many other institutions that have needed to cut the Arts, Crane puts Art first and foremost. There are numerous opportunities for students to shine. They exhibit their artwork in two on-campus exhibitions and various other community venues. Like music, poetry, drumming and theatre, students are celebrated for their artistic merits. Outstanding professional enrichment allows for faculty to remain current and vibrant.