Visual Arts
Learning is Creative
The visual arts program, designed to balance the creative process and the final product, incorporates high-quality instruction in each division and an integrated approach to other academic areas. In visual art classes from early childhood through grade 12, students encounter the world of representational, symbolic and expressive meanings created through the organization of basic elements. Each medium explored becomes a tool for the expression of ideas, as well as an extension of the mind, hand and eye.
Through the study of drawing, painting, ceramics, printmaking, sculpture, photography, silversmithing and graphics arts, students are able to create images and objects that are connected to personal, emotional and intellectual content. A required course in visual arts at the upper school level solidifies a knowledge base and serves to expand each student's visual perceptions, while encouraging creativity through experiences that involve unconventional associations of ideas and perspectives.
An Art Club and electives in computer-generated graphic arts in the middle school expand opportunities for students to explore new mediums of expression. Integration of the visual arts into other subject areas is encouraged at every level. Assembly programming and the presence of artists-in-residence broaden students' appreciation for the significance of visual arts.
Each year, our students in the middle and upper school earn extraordinary awards through the Scholastic Arts Awards.
"Jubilation," commissioned by Don and Adele Hall for Pembroke Hill's renovated student center, stands as a vibrant testament to community and diversity. Crafted by artist Sara Sonié Thompson-Ruffin, the piece intricately weaves together fabrics sourced from the Pembroke Hill community, symbolizing the strength found in collective collaboration. Its title suggests a joyous celebration, inviting viewers to reflect on the interconnectedness of past, present, and future generations of Pembroke Hill students and alumni.
This artwork holds profound significance for Pembroke Hill, embodying the school's rich history and enduring legacy. "Jubilation" is a tangible representation of shared experiences and memories that bind the community together across time.
