Advanced Art

Oil Pastels with Art 1 & Advanced Art

Students explore the expressive potential of oil pastels through activities that emphasize both technical skill and experimentation. By introducing foundational concepts such as layering, blending, and creating texture through mark-making, I guide students in developing a deeper understanding of how materials can be manipulated to achieve a range of visual effects. Students are encouraged to experiment, take risks, and reflect on their process.

Lubeznik Art Center Class Trip

My Art Appreciation class (Lake Michigan College) and Advanced Art classes (Bridgman High School) visited the Lubeznik Center for the Arts in Michigan City, Indiana, which was a valuable experience to see contemporary art in person. We explored work by Maria Bundunarena as well as an immersive installation by Luftwerk, which transformed the gallery space with light and color. The students also created artwork inspired by the exhibition. The trip gave students a chance to connect classroom discussions about contemporary art to real-world experiences, sparking thoughtful conversations.

Ceramics with Art 1 & Advanced Art

This semester, my Art 1 and Advanced Art students created ceramics, exploring handbuilding techniques like coil building and slab construction, as well as experimenting with sculpting and glazes. Along the way, we discussed the work of notable ceramic artists, from famous artists like Maria Martinez to contemporary local artists like Laurie Sharkus. Seeing how these artists use form, texture, and glaze to communicate ideas gave students a framework for thinking about their own work.

Thankfulness Collage with Advanced Art

Right before Thanksgiving break, my advanced students completed a mixed-media collage project focused on identity and gratitude, a chance to further develop their artistic voice as they reflected on the people, experiences, and values that shape who they are.

To ground the project in real art practice, we looked at the work of Romare Bearden, whose collages pull together memory, community, and personal narrative through layered imagery. We also briefly explored other artists who use collage and mixed media to express identity such as Faith Ringgold, Lorna Simpson, and Mickalene Thomas. This helped students see how powerful and expressive this approach can be.

For their own pieces, students combined photographs, drawings, textures, text, and found imagery to build a visual story about what they’re thankful for. They were required to include at least one element that they drew and at least one 3D element that they crafted.

The final collages feel inventive and full of personality. I love how my students used this project not only to practice mixed-media techniques, but also to express who they are and what matters most to them.