MHS

Respect

Respect for self and others, for art materials and equipment, and for the studio environment are critical to the day-to-day functioning of our classroom, where the sharing of ideas, perspectives, techniques, and tools sit at the core of our practice.

 

Perseverence

Many students begin the year with apprehensions about their skill set and feel that art is a talent. Much of the first week of each art class is thus devoted to banishing the notion that one "cannot draw" or one does not have "enough talent." Like studying music notes on a page and playing them out one by one, art requires repetition, practice, committment, and perseverence. With sustained effort and willingness to take creative risks, every student will come away with work that is skillful, satisfying, and meaningful.

 

Integrity

Art is the synthesis of material, form, technique, and content. All students are encouraged not only to complete work in a timely fashion, but to make personal, content-rich work that communicates integrity through attention to detail and skillful use of tools and media.

 

Responsibility

All students are expected to contribute in the upkeep and care of the tools and equipment utilized in the shared studio space.

 

Tolerance

Creative thinking, intuition, reasoning, and evaluation take place when students come to class with minds open and eyes ready to see beneath the surface. Tolerance is key to understanding art and communicating effectively in our work. Through careful analysis of the artwork and architecture across cultures, students will make connections between the historical, psychological, and political spheres of culture and identity. It is then that students can construct and discern relationships within their own culture and gain self-awareness.