Aspiring Artists

On May 12 and 13, 2021, twelve Upper School student artists in Andrew Harrison’s Advanced Studio class exhibited their work at Caelum Gallery on West 26th St., an important milestone for any aspiring artist. This rare opportunity was made possible thanks to a generous gift from Justine Gordon and John Flynn.  

The exhibited work represented the students’ second semester Concentration Project—a capstone for the course that explores an area of artistic inquiry for the remainder of the year. The project is a deep-dive into an area of personal interest for the student and allows for the full development of both conceptual ideas, processes, and materials. 

The Advanced Studio Class is the Visual Arts Department's highest level course, designed for motivated students interested in any artistic discipline (photography, film, painting/drawing, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, fiber) and eager to fully explore their creative potential. The course begins with a series of rigorous thematic exercises designed to encourage innovation and the refinement of the creative process. These exercises make space for experimentation, risk, and opportunity to expand students' exposure to different mediums and conceptual approaches to making art. Interwoven into these exercises is the close analysis of a diverse collection of modern and contemporary artists, transecting race, gender, and geography, that stimulate discussion and drive students' personal investigations.