Visual Arts
Choral | Instrumental | Drama | Visual Arts | Private Lessons | FAFS
SCLA students explore artistic techniques, use a variety of media, develop their style, and create two-dimensional and three-dimensional creations in SCLA's art courses.
Middle School
All SCLA middle school students take one semester of art class and are encouraged to participate in the Twin Cities Fine Arts Festival held each spring.
Students will evaluate examples in the world around them and work with line, shape, form, color and texture. Various methods and media will be used to create works of art, and students will study different artists to create a variety of pieces using similar media, tools, and techniques.
High School
FUNDAMENTALS OF ART Understanding and applying principles of art are the focus of this foundational course. Learning will be based on hands-on projects as well as studying historically significant artists and works in western art history. Other important concepts to be covered include composition, creativity vs. copying, aesthetics and the value of critiques. Prerequisite: None
FUNDAMENTALS OF DRAWING The traditional methods of linear perspective and gridding will be used to develop skills necessary for sighting and drawing from life. This class emphasizes accurate perception and purposeful mark-making. Prerequisite: Fundamentals of Art
DRAWING 1 builds on the Fundamentals of Drawing course. Students will further explore ways of seeing and accurately representing three-dimensional forms and spaces in two dimensions. Students will work from life and observation. Prerequisite: Fundamentals of Drawing
DRAWING 2 will teach students a design mindset and to understand the importance of the process of creating. Students will use a variety of media to represent not just what they see but what they can imagine. Students will be encouraged to develop ideas. Drawing 1 is strongly recommended. Prerequisite: Drawing 1
SCULPTURE 1 The emphasis of this class will be on designing three-dimensional forms that can be assembled or constructed. Subjects will include objects that are purely for aesthetics as well as concepts for practical, functional forms. Prerequisite: Fundamentals of Art
SCULPTURE 2 Modeling and carving three-dimensional forms will be the methods used in this class. Ideas will be developed from paper to the finished form. Sculpture I is strongly recommended. Prerequisite: Sculpture 1
CERAMICS 1 Students will be introduced to tools and techniques for working with clay. Students will use hand-building methods including pinching, slabbing, and coiling to create a variety of forms. Prerequisites: Fundamentals of Art
CERAMICS 2 The emphasis of this class will be upon surface treatment and decoration of forms. Wheel-throwing will also be introduced. Prerequisites: Ceramics 1
PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENT This class period is for students who have demonstrated the mastery and motivation necessary to independently develop their own ideas. Students who are seriously considering going into a creative field may use this time for meeting college portfolio requirements. Instructor approval is required. Prerequisites: Instructor Approval
VIDEO RECORDING ARTS Students will learn video editing skills using Final Cut Pro and Apple-Motion. They will also learn the history of film. Students will produce short videos including newscasts, silent features, and music videos. Students will also assist in the live streaming productions of the choral and band concerts. Prerequisite: Grade 11 or 12
Exhibitions
Middle school students present their work in the Twin Cities Fine Arts Festival each spring. High school art students exhibit their work in SCLA hallways each spring and compete in a Bethany Lutheran College competition and a conference contest.