Visual Arts: The Visual Arts Department at South Side High School offers a comprehensive curriculum that caters to students at all skill levels, from introductory to advanced. The department's program emphasizes both traditional and modern art forms, providing a strong foundation in core principles while encouraging personal expression and creativity. The curriculum begins with Studio in Art, a prerequisite course that fulfills the New York State Regents requirement and introduces students to a variety of 2D and 3D media, including painting, drawing, and sculpture. For those who wish to specialize, the department offers two-part sequential courses in Painting and Drawing and Sculpture and Ceramics, where students build on fundamental skills and explore diverse materials and historical and contemporary art. In addition, the department embraces digital art, with courses in Computer Graphics, 3-D Computer Modeling, and Digital Photography that allow students to explore technology as a creative medium. The program also supports a rigorous two-year IB Visual Arts program for interested students, focusing on in-depth studio work, process documentation, and portfolio development. For students with schedule conflicts or unique interests, Independent Study is an option. Finally, Unified Art promotes an inclusive learning environment, bringing together special and general education students to collaborate on projects. The department's commitment to building strong foundational skills, encouraging creative exploration, and offering diverse pathways, including portfolio preparation, ensures that students are well-prepared for future studies in art.

Art Department:

Kathleen Mark (Director of the Arts)

David Beinlich

Keith Gamache

Melissa Lamoureax

Chris Karaktin

Lynn Voltaggio

• New York State Arts Standards: 
  • The New York State Learning Standards for the Arts outline the framework for student learning in dance, music, theater, and visual arts. You can find detailed information on these standards here: NYSED Art standards

• Relevant IB Subject Briefs:
  • IB Visual Arts Subject Brief: A brief for the visual arts course can be found here: IB Global Assets_Visual Artshttps://www.ibo.org/globalassets/new-structure/programmes/dp/pdfs/visual-arts---hl.pdf
  • IB Music Subject Brief: A brief for the music course can be found here:IB Global assets
  • IB Theatre Subject Brief: A brief for the theater course can be found here: IB Programs_Theaterchrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.ibo.org/globalassets/new-structure/programmes/dp/pdfs/theatre-subject-brief-sl-hl-en.pdf
  • IB Dance Subject Brief: A brief for the dance course can be found here: IB Programs_Theater

https://www.ibo.org/globalassets/new-structure/programmes/dp/pdfs/6_dancehl.pd

Department Flow Charts

Visual Arts-

Visual Arts Flow Chart