As students learn important art skills, gain significant art knowledge of both materials and the work of others, as well as participate in significant artistic experiences over time, they learn to hear, understand, and speak God’s visual language with proficiency. 

What Is Our Approach to Visual Art at Faith Christian School?

At FCS, visual art is a core area of study for our students, not an “add-on” or “extra-curricular.”  The Fine Arts are central to helping us tap into the “whole” person, not just the mind.  So, we do not think of Visual Art as a separate area of study apart from math, science, history, or even theology.  These studies are all integrally connected, and we teach them as such.

Distinct Characteristics of Visual Art Instruction at Faith Christian School

Imagine a three-legged stool with a seat as well as connecting bars between the legs that hold them together.  If you can imagine this, then you have a pretty good image of the structure of much of our visual arts education at FCS.  The three legs represent drawing, painting, and sculpture. They all attach to the seat of Art History, and the legs are connected with the Elements of Art, The Principles of Design, and Aesthetic Judgment.  We focus on skills, knowledge, and experiences with each of these parts of the stool as students progress through their years at FCS.

Upper School Oil Painting Elective Student Artwork - Fall 2022

What Do We Hope Students Will Take Away from Their Visual Arts Instruction at FCS?

As students learn important art skills, gain significant art knowledge of both materials and the work of others, as well as participate in significant artistic experiences over time, they learn to hear, understand, and speak God’s visual language with proficiency.  It is our hope that every student will be led to enjoy God’s beauty, the beauty of the work of other image-bearers, and their own work that celebrates their part in God’s beautiful story. 

One graduate who came back to share their experience talked about visiting Italy after their college graduation and being brought to tears on several occasions viewing these works in person.  When asked about why she felt it so keenly, she said, “I stood there realizing that I knew what to do with what I was looking at and understanding the immensity of the work the artist had put in, and being overwhelmed with the beauty.  It was just amazing.”  This is a common response of our graduates, and it speaks to the power of the way we do what we do with visual art instruction at FCS.

- Mr. Scott Maynard, Art