Visual Arts

"I want all of my students to have fun making art." - Swain Art Teacher

See a preview of our April 27-30 Student Art Show

Visit Mrs. Ward's web site!

Art Program

The arts can be a powerful source of inspiration and joy. They can enhance our human experience and help us communicate in ways beyond language. The arts are a universal means of expression. At Swain, we believe that immersion in the visual and performing arts help children develop both character and intellect.

Swain students experience plenty of opportunities to create art. Between kindergarten and fifth grade, students visit with the art specialist weekly, and middle schoolers have two art classes per week. Meeting consistently throughout the year enables Swain’s art program to be comprehensive and afford many new experiences for children.

In addition to the more traditional media of paint, pencil, pen and ink, students enjoy the hands-on experience of creating in clay and metal. They also design masks, create sculptures from found objects, experience printmaking, and make colorful designs with dye on silk. Mosaics as well as computer-generated design are produced. Field trips to see artwork or to locations where sketching opportunities abound are also included in the art curriculum.

Much of the art program compliments and supports the academic program offered at Swain. First grade artists examine Chinese artifacts, drawing inspiration for their sketches and Chinese scrolls - before enjoying a big bowl of rice with chopsticks, and homemade spring rolls. Eighth graders write personal poetry, which they illustrate with a mask of their own creation.

Swain's artists - up close!

Appreciative audiences (including families, friends, and the general public) are able to view and enjoy the fabulous works created by our students at our annual Art Show, held this year from April 28 - May 1.

Each student from kindergarten through eighth grade had at least one work to show from their portfolio created throughout the school year, resulting in a showcase featuring hundreds of unique works.