Students, parents, teachers, prospective families, and staff attended our fourth “open studios” last week. The vision of our amazing art teachers was to provide opportunities for everyone to see the work that was created by our students in the studios they worked in this fall. Having the parents, student artists, and the teaching artists all involved and all in attendance also enabled us to talk about, reflect on, and affirm the work and BCD’s dynamic Arts program. Most importantly, we were able to celebrate the arts and the collective accomplishments of everyone in the studio contexts where they have been and will be creating once again this year. And, almost every student in attendance was thrilled to learn how to throw a pot with Ben Evans!
Last year, we achieved our goal “to build an expanded, more flexible arts curriculum that more deliberately integrates BCD’s program with fine and performing arts resources available throughout our region and community.” This resulted in exciting changes in the School’s arts programming for years to come. Sasha Sicurella, an accomplished arts education specialist, artist, teacher, and consultant assumed responsibility as the Coordinator of BCD’s Visual Arts Program. She joined a strong faculty of talented performing and visual artists at BCD.
The two spacious general art rooms in the old hay barn on campus were converted to three medium-specific studios: ceramics, painting and drawing, and mixed media. BCD staffed the K-6 Arts program and the Upper School (Grades 7-9) Arts Block electives program with an array of talented art educators and area and nationally-recognized artists. The staffing changes forged new connections for BCD with a number of arts organizations including Bazaar Productions, The Berkshire Fringe, I AM: International Foundation, IS183 Art School, and Omi International Arts Center.
Students in grades K-6 attend two art classes per week, working in each of the three studios during the course of year. A comprehensive curriculum frames the learning experiences that will be taught by Sasha, Ben Evans, and Max Spitzer, as the students explore art, art history, and artists in a studio-based environment with working artists and arts educators. More information about Ben and Max is included below. Students in grades 7-9 select two arts electives that each meet two times per week. For more information about these offerings, the many talented artist educators that teach at BCD, and our arts program at BCD, click here.
Our students are dynamic, creative, and capable individuals. Please join me in thanking our talented, positive, and engaging artist educators. They are truly achieving our mission “to inspire the individual promise of every student, that each may become an exemplary citizen of the world.”
Sasha presented a fabulous slideshow during the event, and many the pictures may be found below (click on those you wish to view and enlarge):
