One of the most unique and anticipated events at Mater Dei is the annual Visual Arts Showcase, which runs for only a few days in late spring. During this attraction, students are able to display the creative works they compiled throughout the year. The event features a wide range of mediums, including paintings, sculpture, photography, and animation. However, because the event only happens once per year, the average student is not aware of the dedication and hard work that goes into every piece. While the event itself is short, visual arts classes are year-round and offer the students who take them the opportunity to express themselves in a multitude of ways. 

Mater Dei has a large Visual Arts Program, with each course covering a variety of mediums, such as drawing and ceramics. Students are only required to complete one year of visual or performing arts to graduate but, for those interested, many levels of advancement are offered through senior year. This culminates in AP courses for Drawing, Graphic Design, and Ceramics. Courses like AP Art History offer an alternative path, focusing on the analysis of famous artworks. Visual Arts Department Chair Kyle Roberts speaks on the wide range of courses Mater Dei has. 

“We offer four years of ceramics, four years in drawing and painting, four years in digital photography, four years in graphic design and two years in animation,” Roberts said. “We also have an art history class and AP Art History class as well.”

Visual arts classes have the opportunity to utilize the school’s technology in creative ways. The art and animation classes allow students to download “Procreate,” a digital art application found on iPads. Graphic Design students also have access to computers with programs such as Adobe Photoshop available to use. The ceramics courses also have multiple important resources, such as a wheel and kiln. Just as art can be expressed through a variety of media, the tools to create the works can be vast.   

“Whether it’s learning how to use pencils, or charcoal, or paints in Art, or using [Photoshop] in Graphic Design, or using Procreate and iMovie in Animation, or hand building and throwing on the wheel and sculpting [in Ceramics], [there are many] techniques we try to impart on the students,” Roberts said. 

Visual Arts courses are not just limited to those already adept at art. There are also beginner-friendly classes that offer newcomers an outlet to express their imagination and develop their creativity. The courses also allow students who may not be interested in art initially to have a chance to explore their abilities. As with all disciplines, it takes time to refine one’s skills. 

“I think that’s super important knowing and understanding that art is a learned skill; it’s not just something that you’re good at, it’s something that you can practice and improve upon,” Roberts said. “[You should also know] that [there’s] a wide range, a wide scope of what can be beautiful and what’s worth doing and what’s worth being proud of.”

The first years of these programs are foundational and teach students how to navigate the different software and media they will be using. The longer a student spends in a course, however, the more creative control they gain. Senior Edyn Rodi is an AP Drawing student and is able to create pieces that fit with a theme of her choice. Rodi is grateful for the advanced offerings that Mater Dei provides in the arts. Not all schools have as many options..  

“My old school didn’t really have any central visual arts programs, so I was mainly just involved with it on my own, I just practiced it as a hobby,” Rodi said. “I [would draw] on my own. I would explore using online resources, and I would try to find tutorials and random other things online.” 

While some students opt to take only one year of arts to fulfill the requirement, many find they want to continue in the arts and expand their knowledge and creative sensibilities.

“I’ve learned about all these different programs to use, and it’s helped me gain experience in a lot of them, especially professional art programs,” Rodi said. “I took Graphic Design I my freshman year. I [had] never done anything related to graphic design, but by the end of that class, I already knew how to navigate the Adobe programs we use, such as Photoshop, perfectly. And it also taught me a lot about design and fundamentals.”

In addition to teaching the fundamentals of each medium, the visual arts classes also give students the chance to express their creativity through a variety of projects. These projects can consist of weeks or even months of planning and work.  Students are encouraged to take control of the meaning or messages behind their creations. 

“I like to try and tell stories with my art. I like to always try and hide in some kind of symbolism or to try and represent something,” Rodi said. “I always like to tell stories of different characters I come up with.”

Another benefit of Mater Dei’s visual arts classes is their accessibility. A student at any point in their high school career can take entry level art classes. Additionally, incoming students may take Art I as a summer advancement course in order to meet the prerequisite to take a higher level course during the school year. Sophomore Phoenix Nelson is one student who took this path and is currently enrolled in  Honors Animation II. 

“[Before I started my freshman year], I took Art I over the summer, because I knew I really wanted to do animation first,” Nelson said. “[It was] something I knew I wanted to do.”

Even students with prior experience are able to find ways to learn and grow during their time in Visual Arts classes. Continually working on your craft is the only way to excel and advance your skills.

“I think what I’ve learned the most is that really just practice makes perfect,” Nelson said. “Being forced to draw, and having to draw over and over again, it just forces you to get better. Even if it’s small, there is improvement.”

Senior Polly Nguyen transferred to Mater Dei her junior year and is currently enrolled as an AP Drawing student. Nguyen not only enjoys the creative aspects of the class but the community of students she has met.. 

“It’s very interesting. I met a lot of friends, and I think this is the most diverse group of friends that I have had in my life,” Nguyen said. 

The visual arts classes provide students the opportunity to meet with like-minded individuals and create pieces in a space that foster creativity. Nguyen finds that working among others helps her improve her own creations. 

“When I look at other people’s work, it gives me motivation to create [pieces] on par with their level,” Nguyen said. “[I am motivated by] the people I meet.”

Mater Dei’s visual arts classes are for students of all grade levels and skills. It is important throughout high school to have an outlet for creativity, which each visual art course offers. All mediums are available for students to try and learn, regardless of prior knowledge or experience. Nelson emphasizes the importance of taking chances and trying a Visual Arts class.  

“The thing is, no one can make your art: you provide something unique every time you make a mistake, or what you see is a mistake, [for example] the way you draw an eye, or the way you draw the ground, or the scenery, or an animal, it’s completely different than anyone else has ever drawn it,” Nelson said.  “I’d say, just go for it and just draw, draw, draw until you can finally say that you’re proud of anything you’ve made.”