The Arts Department offers a diverse array of courses viewable here.

For a focused course tree pertaining only to Visual Arts,  click here

Please scroll down to see artwork from individual Visual Arts classes. ( Grade 12 to grade 9 )

AVI 4M1 Visual Arts Foundation Grade 12 : University/College

 Prerequisite: AVI 3M1, but may have taken AWD 301 and/or AWO 301

 

This course focuses on enabling students to refine their use of the creative process when creating and presenting two- and three-dimensional art works using a variety of traditional and emerging media and technologies. Students will use the critical analysis process to deconstruct art works and explore connections between art and society. The studio program enables students to explore a range of materials, processes, and techniques that can be applied in their own art production. Students will also make connections between various works of art in personal, contemporary, historical, and cultural contexts. Art from the 20th and 21st Centuries will be studied.

AWP4M1  Sculpture: Grade 12  University/College 

Prerequisite: AVI3M1 - Visual Arts: Foundation or AWD3O1 - Visual Arts: Information Design / Graphics or AWO3O1 - Visual Arts, Printmaking (Photography)

This special series fine arts course will introduce students to the three sculpture techniques of carving, modelling and construction using a wide variety of tools and materials, such as, clay, wire, papier-mâché, plaster and found objects. Studio assignments will include: biomorphic sculpture, pop art, wire figures and clay heads. The art history component will focus on the study of contemporary sculptural monuments in conjunction with studio projects.

Note: A $25.00 supply fee is required.

 

AWN4M1  Painting: Grade 12 University/College 

Prerequisite: AVI3M1 - Visual Arts: Foundation or AWD3O1 - Visual Arts: Information Design / Graphics or AWO3O1 - Visual Arts, Printmaking (Photography)

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop further and refine their painting skills. Students will prepare stretched canvases, experiment with surface grounds and a variety of painting techniques. They will create paintings using watercolours, acrylic and oil paints. Students will study the paintings of artists throughout history in relationship to their studio work. This course will provide students with an excellent opportunity to develop portfolio quality artworks.

Note: A $25.00 supply fee is required.

 

AWT 4M1 Portfolio: Grade 12  University /College

Prerequisite: AVI 4M1, but may be taken Concurrently with any grade 12 course.

Many post secondary art programs require students to submit a portfolio of artworks in order to gain admission. This program will guide senior art students in the development of a significant body of artwork for inclusion in a portfolio, and prepare them for the presentation process for application to Post Secondary Art programs.

Note: A $25.00 supply fee is required.

      

 AWO 4M1 Printmaking/Photography: Grade 12 University/College Prerequisite: AWO 301

 

  

 

This special series fine arts course will build on skills acquired in AWO 3O1. This course will expose students to advanced workings of the 35 mm single lens reflex camera. Black and white darkroom techniques will be explored in depth with the use of contrast filters, dodging and burning, negative sandwiching, and multiple exposure printing. Alternative processes such as pinhole cameras, hand colouring and photo silkscreen will be explored. Students will study the history of photography. Photoshop 7 will be utilized to enhance original digital photographs.

NOTE: A $40.00 material fee is required and students are required to have a digital camera and access to a 35 mm film camera.

 

 AWA 301  Grade 11 Craft and Design:   Prerequisite: None

 

This course concentrates more on practical studio assignments. Students will explore a wide variety of craft materials and techniques. Projects may include the following: clay teapot or cookie jar, painted canvas mats, copper enamelling, mosaics, fabric art, and seasonal crafts.

NOTE: A $25.00 craft supply fee is required.

 

 AWD 301 Information/Graphic Design:

  Prerequisite: AVI101, but AVI201 is highly recommended 

 

This program focuses on the study and practical application of information design and graphic art, through an examination of a variety of information media. Students will explore a wide variety of drawing materials and apply the elements and principles of design to their artwork. Studio assignments will include: symbol and personal logo designs, typography, posters, illustrations, and advertising and package design. Students will study the history of the modern poster in relationship to modern art movements including Art Nouveau, Bauhaus, and the Pop Art movement. ***AVI2O1 highly recommended.

 

AWO 301 Printmaking/Photography Grade 11 Open

Prerequisite: AVI101, but AVI201 is highly recommended

 

This special series fine arts course will build on drawing skills from previous art courses. Students will be introduced to block relief printing. Students will learn how 35 mm single lens reflex cameras work. Basic darkroom techniques for processing black and white film and prints will be learned. Alternative methods such as hand colouring, toning, photograms, and photomontages will be explored. The history of printmaking and photography will be studied. Students will work with digital cameras and Photoshop 7.

NOTE: A $40.00 material fee is required and students are required to have a digital camera and access to a 35 mm film camera.

 

AVI 3M1  Visual Arts Foundation Grade 11: University/College:

 Prerequisite: AVI 101 but AVI201 is highly recommended

This course enables students to further develop their knowledge and skills in visual arts. Students will use the creative process to explore a wide range of themes through studio work that may include drawing, painting, sculpting, and printmaking, as well as the creation of collage, multimedia works, and works using emerging technologies. Students will use the critical analysis process when evaluating their own work and the work of others. The course may be delivered as a comprehensive program or through a program focused on a particular art form (e.g., photography, video, computer graphics, information design). Art from the Renaissance will be studied.

 

 AWA 201 Craft and Design: Grade 10 Open     Prerequisite:None

This course concentrates more on practical studio assignments. Students will explore a wide variety of craft materials and techniques. Projects may include the following: pinch pot clay construction, coil clay construction, slab clay construction, basket weaving, wire work, ceramics, knotting, needlecraft, macrame, fimo sculpture, loom beading, leather pouches and dream catchers, cooper tooling, fabric painting and seasonal crafts.

NOTE: A $25 supply fee is required to assist with the purchase of craft materials.

 

AWK 201 Illustration: Grade 10 Open

Prerequisite: None, but highly recommend taking AVI201 if you already have AVI101

This course concentrates on drawing techniques explored through a variety of media. Students will work with pencil, pen and ink, ink washes, coloured pencil, watercolour pencils and markers. Major studio units will include shading the basic shapes, typography, perspective, portraiture, cartooning, industrial illustration, logo and poster design. This is not a prerequisite for AWO3O1, AVI3M1, or AWD3O1. Students with AVI1O1 are not advised to take this course. Basic drawing skills learned in AVI1O1 are repeated in AWK2O1.

 

 

AVI 201  Visual Arts Foundation: Grade 10/Open   Prerequisite: Highly recommend AVI 101

 

This course enables students to develop their skills in producing and presenting art by introducing them to new ideas, materials, and processes for artistic exploration and experimentation. Students will apply the elements and principles of design when exploring the creative process. Students will use the critical analysis process to reflect on and interpret art within a personal, contemporary, and historical context. Art from the Middle Ages will be studied.

 

AVI 101 Visual Arts Foundation Grade 9 /Open

This course is exploratory in nature, offering an overview of visual arts as a foundation for further study. Students will become familiar with the elements and principles of design and the expressive qualities of various materials by using a range of media, processes, techniques, and styles. Students will use the creative and critical analysis processes and will interpret art within a personal, contemporary, and historical context. Art from Ancient Civilizations will be studied.

Extracurricular Activities/Art Club:

Art Club meets weekly every Tuesday from 2:45 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and every Wednesday at lunch in Room 199.

Whats New?: USS Visual Arts students competed to design the winning poster for the Madd Red Ribbon Launch/ in conjunction with the 2011 Festive Ride Campaign on November 15th, 2011.

Participating students attended the Press Conference here at USS with Mayor O'Connell as one of the guest speakers.

Three Poster Designs were selected to represent MADD in Ontario and will be professionally printed and distributed! Many other posters from our school will be entered in the upcoming National Madd Poster campaign competition. Well done USS! 

Poster Winner: Artist:Carolyn Garbas,( grade 12) Media: Acrylic on Paper,  size 11"x 17" Title:  "Drunk Driving Shatters Lives"

  

Runner up: Courtney Livy ( Grade 12): digital Photography, size 11"x 17" , Title: "Don't make yourself another Statistic")

 

Runner up: Anne-Marie Muller ( Grade 12) Media: pencil Crayon on Paper with digital Design,

Title: "Booze in the car won't get you very far.",   size :11"x 17

 

Projects from Sept. 2010 to present: Food Drive Banner, Fundraising thermometer, Set design for U.S.S. dramatic/music/art/tech. collaborative production "Into the Woods", Remembrance day Mural Installation: "Poppies/We Remember"outdoor installation with the technology dept. Remembrance day crosses, "International Figures of Importance" Mural in collaboration with the Star Committee ( Black history month/ February.)

 

Art Club/Upcoming Projects/Watch for it!: Water bottle art: "Think before you drink" Sculpture installation in collaboration with the Environmental club/Tech. dept./Science dept.

Community Outreach Projects: Uxbridge Celebration of the Arts

Outdoor Flower Mural artworks were completed by select students from the senior portfolio class as part of the Uxbridge Celebration of the Arts, for " Le Petit Fleurs" flower shop. This mural project was sponsored by the Salvation Army as part of the Uxbridge beautification project.

During the Uxbridge Celebration of the Arts (Sept., 2010,) there was a large exhibition of student artwork from Uxbridge Secondary School at the Foster Memorial.

Upcoming:Portfolio student artwork creations are to be published in the spring 2011 edition of the McMaster University "Pathways" brochure.

Spring: York City Visual Arts Trip: Thursday, May 18th to Monday, May 23, 2011.