Visual Arts
At Davidson Day, visual 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.
Early Childhood & Lower School
Our visual arts program begins in our Early Childhood classrooms, where our two-, three-, and four-year-old students showcase their creativity and develop the fine motor skills that prepare them for success in Kindergarten and beyond.
In addition to the Lower School Art Studio, where students explore ceramics, painting, multimedia art, and more, art is also integrated into regular classroom activities. This allows students to express their creativity in a way that’s personal to their interests while also working together on big projects and art displays. Each year, we host a Lower School art show and partner with the community to showcase student artwork around Lake Norman.
Middle School
Middle School students rotate through arts electives, 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 visual arts program, students are introduced to art history and theory, learning about impressionism, art nouveau, expressionism, cubism, and pop art, and exploring the life and works of Frida Kahlo, Pablo Picasso, Chuck Close, Georgia O’Keeffe, Andy Warhol, and more.
Upper School
In Upper School, students can enroll in specialized elective classes to explore studio art, drawing and painting, digital illustration and animation, digital photography, film production, yearbook, and more. Students may also enroll in AP Studio Art, building a portfolio of work to pursue admission at arts schools such as the Savannah College of Art and Design, Rhode Island School of Design, and Chapman University.
