HCA VISUAL ART

 

The visual art program at Heritage Christian Academy seeks to connect Biblical truths to every lesson as we attempt to bring glory to God with our creative gifts. 

He is our example, creating us in His image to be artists as much like Him as we can be. Making art is a joyful process, whether working with clay, paint, paper, or simply drawing from imagination. 

God said, "It is good," whenever He created anything at the beginning of time. We hope to work toward this sense of satisfaction in accomplishment as we create. As learners, we are constantly trying to reach the goal of being able to say, "It is good!" when we finish a piece.

Students are encouraged to have a Growth Mindset when learning in the art classroom: doing their best work, trying new solutions to problems, being persistent and refusing to give up when things don't go quite the way we expected. Making art is sometimes just about the learning process: it is an adventure! 

Students can find so much joy while using hands-on materials and learning to express ideas visually! Creating is essentially the same thing as problem-solving: students exercise those brain "muscles" every day in the art classroom, getting smarter every day.

We offer many opportunities for students to celebrate their accomplishments in visual art. We have exhibited student work at the Birmingham Museum of Art and the Hoover Public Library. Also, students have opportunities to attend field trips to art venues such as Space One Eleven, the Birmingham Museum of Art, and artists' studios. We invite area artists (such as potter Larry Allen, sculptor Calvin Macon, and visual humorist Don Stewart) to speak and demonstrate their craft here at the school! Finally, we have annual school art exhibitions and win awards in district and state art competitions as well. This year, out of 18 artworks entered into the AISA District Art competition, 10 pieces won either a 1st, 2nd or 3rd place ribbon! Finally, your art teacher, Anna Nichols, is an award winning educator who loves her students tremendously.

II Corinthians 4:6, 7

For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God's glory displayed in the face of Christ. 

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

potter Larry Allen demonstrates the wheel-throwing technique