Photography to publishing projects, digital art to drawing, pottery, and pastel paintings all are part of the art program’s creative approach to learning.
There are two traditional art teachers: Jacob Boden and Fiona Kahlo. They both offer a variety of classes that teach many different styles and versions of art.
Boden teaches Photo 1 and 2 classes, where the students learn various photography skills, and he teaches a yearbook course, where a student staff creates the yearbook for the school year.
Jackson Dansie, Junior, said, “I took photography l, ll, and lll (yearbook). Boden was a good teacher and always pushed me to be better and would critique some of my best pieces that I saw as flawless. He was a motivator for sure.”
The art students are given many opportunities to display their art.
Landen Madsen, a student in Mr. Boden’s AP art class said, “He sets us up in the state art show.”
Boden also teaches art foundations and Commercial art, where they learn all types of art techniques. They experiment with digital art along with water painting and drawing projects. Boden teaches AP art, where the students have a lot of creative liberties and can choose their own art projects.
“So far I have expanded on my ability to draw humans,” said Makaylah Atkinson, another student in Mr. Boden’s AP art.
Kahlo teaches beginning ceramics class where they are working on clay stamps, and an intermediate ceramics class where they are making rain sticks out of clay.
In wheel throwing class they have two groups, one group is learning how to center clay on the wheel, and the other group is learning how to throw a 6th-inch cylinder.
Then, in her AP class, they get to choose a lot of their own tasks and are given a theme to create 4 mini-projects for the month.
Kahlo also has two 3D design classes. They are currently working on painting rain sticks made out of paper towel rolls and pastor gauze.
Jersey Thomas, a 3D Design student who has also taken ceramics and a painting course in school, said that the best thing about the art program is “The hands-on experiences.”
Aside from traditional art classes, there are also a variety of other courses offered that provide art credits. Lisa Worthington, the counseling secretary, said, “To graduate from Grantsville High School you have to have 1 1/2 art credits. Most of our classes are 1/2 a semester-long, so you will probably end up taking three art courses. This could be regular art, painting, drawing, music classes, orchestra, or other courses that fall under the art category.”
Other art courses include Stage Craft and Theater taught by Stormy Hintz. Music Appreciation, Band, and Guitar taught by Don McGuire. Orchestra and Choir are taught by Andrew Swan.
