Student Life
Arts

Visual and Fine Arts

At Davidson Day, art instruction builds upon prior experiences, previous knowledge, and the expansion of each child’s creative vision of their world and the world beyond their home and their classroom.

Visual Arts Curriculum at Davidson Day

Our visual arts program begins in our early childhood classrooms as our two, three, and four-year-old students showcase their creativity and develop the fine motor skills that ready each student for success in kindergarten and beyond.  

Beyond the Lower School Art Studio, where students work with clay to design all types of ceramics, paint, multimedia art, and more, arts instruction is integrated into the classroom to make the process of expanding creativity both personal to a student’s interests and collaborative to work together on large projects and art installations. Through community partnerships, we host an annual lower school art show and student artwork is displayed at gallery spaces throughout our Lake Norman community.

Each year, Middle School students rotate through an arts elective, learning new techniques and theories while exploring aesthetics and creativity. Students learn thumbnail sketching, design, proportionality, color theory, grid techniques, and how to create texture while exploring mediums such as collage, watercolor, acrylics, graphite, paper cutout, sculpture, and more. Throughout the arts program, students are introduced to art history and theory, learning about impressionism, art nouveau, expressionism, cubism, pop art, and exploring the life and works of Frida Kahlo, Pablo Picasso, Chuck Close, Georgia O’Keeffe, Andy Warhol, and more.

Students in Upper School can enroll in specialized classes to explore studio art, drawing and painting, digital illustration and animation, digital photography, film production, and more, after exploring interests in 9th and 10th Grade. Students may also enroll and complete AP Studio Art, building a portfolio of work to pursue application, admission, and enrollment at schools such as the Savannah College of Art and Design, Rhode Island School of Design, and Chapman University.
Davidson Day School is an independent private school for students 2 years old through 12th grade in the Lake Norman region of Charlotte.

COLLABORATION
CREATIVITY
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT