Art

Our Art classes focus on developing skills, lessons, and activities that meet and enhance the Common Core State Standards of the academic curriculum at Saint Luke Catholic School. The hands-on opportunities presented to our students motivate them to become responsible communicators, collaborators and creative problem-solvers of the 21st century while meeting the National Standards for Arts Education and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia Elementary Art Guidelines from pre-K to grade 8.

Students are encouraged to develop an appreciation of Art centering on Art history and Master artists with an emphasis on our Catholic Church, and developing techniques while exploring diverse materials and mixed media. Art classes foster creativity to meet the various learning styles and abilities of all our students.

We will discover what kind of artist each student is and realize what talents God has given us and share those talents with others so to return them to God.

Preschool Level

In our Art classes, we make art that expands imaginations and exercises creativity. It also develops small motor control and eye-hand coordination, and sharpens children's powers of observation. We learn the fundamentals of art — color, line, shape, form, and texture — by painting and drawing, making collages, fashioning three-dimensional objects out of clay, and talking about our work. Three and 4 year olds recognize patterns, learn about primary colors, and discover how to mix two colors to make a third. By creating art and looking at it, children gain an understanding of composition, balance, and symmetry. Some of our hands-on activities involve Monet, Picasso, Kandinsky, and Michelangelo, Van Gogh, Matisse and Pop Art.

Early Elementary Grades K-2nd  

In our Art classes, we work on developing and refining small motor and hand eye coordination. Each year we build on such skills as cutting, gluing, folding, paper and yarn weaving, proper use of a paintbrush and simple measurement. A simple introduction to the Elements and Principles of Art continues in Kindergarten with recognition and use of patterns, shapes, lines, texture, space and movement to help create our art. Some of the topics we explore are prehistoric art, Ancient Egyptian Art, Ancient Greek and Etruscan Sculpture and Architecture, Italian Renaissance painters and the influence of Roman Art, which includes Early Christian and Byzantine Art.

Elementary (3rd - 4th Grade) 

In our Art classes, we continue to practice the skills learned in the primary grades by adding technical drawing, proportional figure drawing, drawing using distance, 3D construction, as well as printing, rubbing, and stamping. Our knowledge of Elements and Principles of Art expands to recognizing value shades and tints, monochromatic colors, symmetrical and asymmetrical shapes, and distinguishing between visual and tactile textures. Renaissance and Flemish painters, Native American Artists, American painters and architects from the 18th to 20th Century, African American artists, 17th Century Dutch painters and printmakers, and 19th Century Romanticism are some of the topics we experience through hands-on activities.

Middle School - 5th - 8th Grade 

Art classes for grades 5 - 8 are included as part of our STREAM program.  

The art portion integrates various art mediums into core subjects such as religion, social studies, math, science, reading, and writing, while also focusing on visual art concepts. Students learn to connect art with other subjects, meeting objectives in both areas and contributing to the Saint Luke Catholic School yearbook. For Middle School, the program builds on earlier skills, emphasizing critique and the use of art Elements and Principles to enhance composition in Landscape, Still Life, and Portrait drawing. Students create portfolios and explore Christian art, including topics like Religious Icons, Tessellations, various art movements, and notable artists from different periods.