Here at LHS, art is a major part of many students’ lives. Whether it’s through Theatre, Band, Orchestra, or the Art department, these extracurricular activities allow students to express themselves effectively throughout their everyday lives. For some people, it can be hard to find time in their day for their hobbies, which is one of the reasons that taking an elective art class can be so beneficial. Libertyville High School has an abundance of art classes to offer such as dark room photography, glass art, jewelry, metal smithing, ceramics, intro to art, drawing, printmaking, painting studio, AP portfolio, and digital art. When asked why LHS students should take one of these art classes if they haven’t already, the newest member of the art department, Allison Mclean, says that “students shouldn’t be intimidated to take an art course. We kind of meet them at the level that they’re at, and allow them to explore using their own skill set at their own pace”
Painting Studio: In your first semester of painting studio, you can expect to experiment with acrylic paints and focus on the basics of painting. Painting Studio progresses throughout the semester from grayscale to a limited color palette to a full color palette with several different pieces. If you enjoy your first semester of painting studio, you can take another semester and work on more paintings of your choice without being limited to certain rules that first-semester painters must abide by. Painting Studio teacher, Allison Mclean, explains that “you can explore creatively with whatever you find most interesting”.
Ceramics: When taking your first semester of Ceramics, you will build creations by hand, primarily working with coils, slabs, pinch pots, sculptures, and functional pieces of art. In your second semester of ceramics, you are given the opportunity to throw pottery on the wheel, making vases, bowls, plates, cups, and more.
Dark Room: Dark room is a photography class where you will work with film cameras, chemicals, and negatives. In this class, students are given the chance to go on field trips to capture unique images, along with usually visiting an art museum. While darkroom focuses on vintage black and white photography, it also can be intertwined with our modern ways of photography. Darkroom teacher, Stefanie Dahlstrom, says “ Darkroom is very rewarding, and I think it enhances any digital photography you might also take”.
Many students go all throughout their 4 years at LHS without taking an art elective, yet I along with many others believe that this should change. If you have been thinking about taking an art class at LHS, and even if you haven’t, I encourage you to talk to your counselor at your LST.
