Studio Art and Portfolio Preparation -
Nuturing the artist within
Are you an aspiring artist? Have you always wanted to improve your artistic skills? The only prerequisite for enrollment in Cushing’s Studio
Art & Portfolio Preparation is a desire to learn. Whether you are a beginner
or an advanced studio artist, your vision of yourself as an artist is
enhanced by this program. This course introduces you to the fundamentals
of color, composition, line and space as used in pencil drawing, pottery,
metal work, photography, watercolor and oil painting. During this
five-week summer program, you learn the techniques that are introduced
in class through hands-on practice. Not only do you gain a new appreciation
for your improving talents, but you also sharpen your eye for the
beauty all around you—both in the studio and outside.
Offered to students with a range of artistic abilities
and interests, Studio Art is an intensive academic art
program that exposes students to a variety of media.
Students meet for four hours every morning, rotating
through drawing and painting, silversmithing, pottery
and photography during the five-week program.
In the afternoons, you can focus further on areas in
the visual arts, such as pottery, stained glass, graphic
design and video and filmmaking or pursue other
academic and athletic interests in the two required
electives.
In addition to daily hands-on studio work, students
at all levels study each of the art forms in context—
the history, the cultural impacts, applications, traditional
techniques and esthetics. In addition, field
trips allow for further exploration and application.
For instance, you and your classmates might go to
a mine, search for gems, learn to facet them, and
incorporate them in a piece of jewelry.
Frequent trips to museums in and around Boston
also enrich students’ knowledge and appreciation
of particular artists and different artistic movements,
as do supplemental readings of primary
and secondary sources, library research, and artrelated
films.
The course culminates with an art show and a
final project that is both visual and written.
Painting & Illustration
Photography
Pottery
Silversmithing
Portfolio Preparation
Painting & Illustration
This course provides an introduction to traditional
painting techniques and processes (oil, watercolor,
tempera and acrylic) for students at all skill levels.
Students acquire techniques in paint application and
blending, composition and design, and color theory
and color mixing and base their painting on a fully
realized drawing.
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Photography
Whether a beginning or an advanced photographer,
you have the opportunity to work on the techniques,
in both black and white and color photography and
developing, that are most appropriate for your proficiency.
You explore a variety of techniques, such as
accurate metering in normal and special situations,
solarizing, and hand coloring prints.
Your teachers introduce you to various methods and
provide guidance as you design projects in an aspect
of photography that captivates your interest.
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Pottery
Roll up your sleeves, don your apron, and be ready
to get your hands dirty! Not only will you explore a
variety of techniques for working in clay, including
hand building and throwing on the potter’s wheel,
but you will also master basic glazing processes and
decorative styles. After choosing a design rendered
by another artist or creating one of your own, you
are instructed in how to load and fire an electric
kiln. (You are also welcome to observe our master
potter process your work in the raku kiln.) As you
develop your technical proficiency, you will be
encouraged to express your creativity through your
work. In addition, you have access to films, periodicals,
and books to enhance your understanding and
appreciation of all aspects of pottery. In just a short
time, you develop an “eye” for what makes a
successful piece and practice your newly-acquired
skill by critiquing your own work and that of
your classmates.
Silversmithing
Have you ever thought of crafting something unique
out of silver? If so, discover metal as an art medium
through silversmithing, or develop skills in threedimensional
design by learning to shape silver, copper
and brass. While you will commence this handson
learning experience with simple, rudimentary
designs, you are strongly encouraged to create original
pieces. Your teachers will train you in the most
up-to-date techniques in shaping, soldering, and fashioning
bezels and prongs, and finishing your pieces.
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Portfolio Preparation
Advanced art students who intend to pursue art as a
major in college create a portfolio of their work for
their college application. In this course, with the
help of the instructor, you develop a cohesive body
of artwork that represents your overall achievement
in art.
Working within the structure of our summer program,
as a portfolio student you are given time to
develop pieces in any of the media available to you.
Instructors assist you with portfolio presentation,
including photographing slides of artwork, matting
and mounting.
Note: Students spend study hall (8:00 to 10 pm) working
in the Art Cemter. A fee of $300 for textbooks, supplies
and transportation for additional class trips is required.
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