Art

Laurelcrest uses the Spectra Art Program throughout the school. This program is called "Learning to Look and Create." This is a perfect title for what the lessons are designed to do for each student. The classes "look" at prepared slides of works from many artists, over many time periods, and using a large variety of media. Teachers guide children through a discussion of the particular concept in the visual arts that each exemplifies. They learn about the theory of design, color, lines, objectis in space, expression, and more. Then, of course, the fun starts when students try their hands at producing their own creations that follow the ideas they have learned in these well-designed presentations. Tools of artists are experienced and children work with materials from paint to clay to paper to objectgs from their own enviornments. The common vocabulary of artists and the understanding of their world of aesthetics are the beginning points for self-expression and pleasure. Whether a child is a gifted artist or a beginner, a world of beauty and opportunity await students with new lessons for each grade level. There is a balance of perceptual skills and hands-on experiences. Children work within their own set of goals and without judgment as they form confidence in their abilities to "look at" art and to "create" it.