The Art Page

Art is a semester elective course offered in 7th and 8th grades. Arts and Crafts is a semester elective class offered in 8th grade. New this year is 6th grade art, a 9 week quarter class for all 6th graders. The art teacher is Ms. Dandois.
At Billinghurst the art curriculum covers the elements and principles of art through studio projects and discussions using visual aides such as slides, transparencies, and scholastic art magazines. Students use a variety of media including drawing, painting, printmaking, clay, sculpture and mixed media. These classes also show the interdisciplinary relationship between art and math, science, history, English, literature, and music. Arts & Crafts is a based on multi-cultural arts. Some projects include masks, Celtic design, copper tooling, clay, beads and weavings. Art education provides students the opportunity to gain an understanding of the world around them. Students in art learn to express their ideas visually, learn creative problem solving skills, and gain an understanding of visual language that is essential to communicate effectively in today’s society.

Student art is displayed throughout the school including the office, library, hallways, and at the school talent show. Also, one month every year Billinghurst student art is on display at the Washoe County School District office.
Each January student artwork from Billinghurst is entered in the Scholastic Arts juried art exhibition sponsored by the Nevada Museum of Art. Two students from Billinghurst won awards in the 2005 show.
For the past two years the northwest library has displayed Billinghurst student art several times during each year. This will continue during the 2005-06 school year.

The Scholastic Art Awards is a regional and national arts compition open to art students 7th through 12th grade. The regional sponsor is the Nevada Museum of Art. Billinghurst had two students who won awards at the 2005 compition. One student received a Gold Key award. Her drawing was sent to New York for the national competition.