Art is everywhere! God reveals Himself in the beautiful world He created for us to enjoy. Our visual and graphic arts program encourages students to see and appreciate God’s design and beauty. Classes focus on the elements and principles of design, providing a foundation in the arts and a cornerstone for holistic learning.
Drawing to Inspire in Middle School Art
Our middle school artists learn to recognize components that make up a drawing: lines, circles, dots, curves, and angles. Then they learn to see edges, light to dark values, and how one shape relates to another spatially. Finally, artists’ styles and techniques are studied for their unique forms and emotional impact.
NCA artists inspire people in their personal circles of influence through drawings, watercolor and acrylic paintings, prints, collages, and collaborative pieces. As we capture spatial relationships using perspective and proportion, we also connect to the greatness of God and the beauty of the natural world.
Developing a Solid Artistic Foundation in K-5
At NCA, we believe art education should start early. Our kindergarten through 5th-grade students study seven famous artists each year using the Meet the Master's curriculum. They learn and recreate works of art by great artists such as Monet, Van Gogh, Cassatt, Homer, and Mondrian. The students study the artwork and techniques that have made each famous and express themselves with markers, pencils, watercolors, oil pastels, paint, and clay.
Each Meet the Master's experience begins with an interactive multimedia assembly using PowerPoint slides, artist voices (if available), and music that teaches students about the artist’s life and works. From there, children follow a mostly self-guided packet to reinforce the material. The final step is an art project where teachers lead students on a step-by-step journey in the same medium, style, or subject matter as the Master.
Art and Beyond with a Private School Approach
Northshore Christian Academy emphasizes self-evaluation, goal setting, and connection throughout our art program. We focus on not only art principles and techniques, but also adding emotion and meaning to artwork and connecting to others through our creations. Student input influences the projects selected for each year.
An artistic background is not necessary to succeed and learn artistic skills at NCA. Our goal is to help students develop confidence in their abilities and discover their creativity!
