The over arching goal of Hamlin’s visual art program is for each girl to deeply understand that art is a viable and powerful method for expressing herself. The curriculum encourages the student to trust her unique vision, to be unafraid of art processes and artwork, to recognize and appreciate moments of inspiration, and to speak knowledgeably about the way art affects the world. We hope that this emphasis engages the girls’ curiosity, creativity, and conviction. We intend to inspire and engage them in the arts so that they will leave Hamlin understanding, respecting and supporting the broader arts community. We expect that a few might even participate someday.

While at Hamlin, every girl is an artist and as such is introduced to a series of essential questions. These questions aim to “delve into the heart of the discipline.” They provoke multiple answers and resurface continually throughout their study of the art field. During their discussion, these questions also raise other important questions.

In Lower School the girls are asked to consider the following:

• When are we finished and how do we know?
• How does art come into being?
• Where do good ideas come from?

These inquiries engage the girls in their personal art practice. As they begin the journey into their own ways of working, they address the core decision-making process of an artist.

In Middle School their process becomes more sophisticated, and they are also asked to examine the role of artists in larger society:

• What role does art play in the world?
• How do artists tell stories?

In order to create an environment that supports the imagination and the ability to focus, teachers play music in the classroom that inspires the mood for each project. For example, while sixth grade students are constructing a large-scale mural based on the artwork and mythology of Tlingit Indians, they are listening to traditional music performed by Northwest Alaskan musicians. Classrooms are decorated with visual examples of artworks that illustrate specific artists and art movements, as well as various intriguing art objects. Students also have access to libraries of art books in both the Lower and Middle School art classrooms. In addition, we periodically take field trips to exhibitions at local museums and galleries that address the themes we are covering in class.

The bulk of time spent in the art rooms is devoted to the actual making of artwork. The duration of long-term projects increases by grade. The girls are coached through the physical manifestation of the process at each stage. They are shown examples of finished products and encouraged to continually reassess the development of their craft. In both divisions, girls use critical thinking and problem solving skills to envision their next step or finished product. They learn what it takes for an artist to become engaged in a project and how to persist until the end so that their intentions are realized. During collaborative projects, the girls also learn what it means to work as a part of a team, how each member’s contribution makes a difference.

The art program has a commitment to a multicultural curriculum in both the Lower and Middle Schools. Students study artists and artistic production from cultures all over the world. Often this study is tied to school wide events such as the construction of a Día de los Muertos altar or by creating decorations for the Harvest assembly. In the Lower School, the third grade girls learn about the culture of the Gagudju Aborigines of Australia in their Dream Time painting project. They explore the traditional methods of painting by using sticks and brushes to create images of the sky, land, and ocean in a repetition of dot patterns that surround a central figure or animal rendered in an x-ray style. Students also study Polynesian quilt design, Pueblo seed pots, Asian brush painting, and African mud cloth. In Middle School, fifth grade students learn about Japanese Noh Theater through the creation of ceramic masks. Each girl chooses a traditional Noh Theater character to learn about and recreate. This project happens in conjunction with their study of Zen Buddhism in social studies. The girls also study specific artists such as Faith Ringgold, Kathë Kollwitz,, and Andy Warhol as representatives of cultural art movements.

We are very proud of our visual arts program. In art classes, girls learn more than art skills, they learn life skills. They understand that in order to create something powerful and new they have to let their imaginations fly, use the appropriate tools, communicate with intention, and be aware of the world around them.