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Making Art a Priority
Why are arts programs so often the first things cut from traditional school budgets? Some people say that children don’t need to learn art because it won’t serve them practically in adulthood.
We beg to differ.
More than a third of the human brain is devoted to vision and to processing what we see, yet traditional education pays little attention to teaching students how to deal with what they process visually. Art not only is a means of creative expression; it’s a way of understanding the world around us. It’s a reflection of human culture and history. It’s an education in imagination. By giving children access to the arts, we not only preserve invaluable aspects of our heritage but also enhance learning outcomes by fostering creativity, problem-solving skills, and critical thinking.
Our flagship product, the Michael Clay Thompson language arts curriculum, has long stood out as exceptional because we know that integrating art into the curriculum makes learning more interactive and engaging, leading to improved academic performance and holistic development. We want to extend that arts enrichment into every aspect of our educational offerings. That’s why the Royal Fireworks Online Learning Community is placing an increasing emphasis on giving students a rich arts education.
From our brand new instructors and workshops to deep dives into art history, we have grown our selection, and we will continue to add more arts options to our course catalog so that your kids can stay inspired. Keep reading for more info on what’s new, and stay tuned for more soon-to-be-announced arts courses!
We’re thrilled to introduce Paige Darlington, our talented multimedia artist and arts mentor, as the latest addition to our team in our Online Learning Community. Paige brings a wealth of experience and a unique perspective to our program, making her an ideal fit for our gifted and 2e (twice-exceptional) students.
As a child, Paige was enrolled in college-level arts courses and participated in other gifted arts programs. While these experiences were instrumental in shaping her artistic journey, she also recognized some of the limitations of a traditional arts education. Determined to provide alternative approaches tailored to the needs of gifted children, Paige recently earned a certificate in Social-Emotional Arts.
With her background and passion for teaching, Paige aims to ignite a deep-seated passion for creativity in her students while fostering a heightened sense of mindfulness. We’re confident that her innovative approach and dedication to nurturing young artistic minds will make her an invaluable asset to our community.
🖼️ Art History 101: Western Art from the Ancient Greeks to the Present
Instructor: Dr. Thomas Milton Kemnitz
Student Ages: 12–18
Class Meetings: Mondays, 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Fall Semester: September 9 – December 16, 2024
Spring Semester: January 13 – May 12, 2025
Cost: $575 per semester/$1,100 full year
🌟 Highlights:
- Gain familiarity with great artists and artistic traditions central to cultural heritage.
- Focus on graphic art and aesthetic fashions, with consideration of sculpture, architecture, pottery, and more.
- Explore the works of transcendent geniuses like Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Rembrandt, and Picasso.
- Dive into the evolution of art movements and periods to understand their significance and impact on society.
🖼️ Cartooning and Character Design
Instructor: Michael Allen
Student Ages: 11–18
Class Meetings: Thursdays, 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Fall Semester: September 5 – December 19, 2024
Cost: $500
🌟 Highlights:
- Learn the essential fundamentals of creating cartoon characters using a step-by-step approach.
- Understand the basic shapes and principles of character construction.
- Get an introduction to anatomy and expressions.
- Discover how to create a model sheet with designs for a character of each student’s choosing.
📷 Photography 101
Instructor: Felicia “Flee” Kieselhorst
Student Ages: 12–18
Class Meetings: Mondays, 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Fall Semester: August 26 – December 9, 2024
Cost: $500
🌟 Highlights:
- Suitable for all levels, from beginners to experienced photographers.
- Emphasizes fundamental principles applicable to all cameras.
- Focuses on aesthetic elements: composition, storytelling, capturing the “decisive moment.”
- Explores motion photography, portraits, and artificial light.
- Dynamic course structure with personalized feedback tailored to each student’s interests and progress.
📸 Photography 102
Instructor: Felicia “Flee” Kieselhorst
Student Ages: 12–18
Class Meetings: Mondays, 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time
Spring Semester: January 27 – May 5, 2025
Cost: $500
🌟 Highlights:
- Offers a deep dive into camera settings and manual shooting techniques.
- Personalized instruction on each student’s camera model.
- Covers advanced techniques step by step, including motion studies, night photography, painting with light, bracketing and HDR, and RAW shooting.
- Flexible curriculum based on student interests, with opportunities to explore portraiture, posing, flash photography, documentary, etc.
- Alternating format: Photography lecture and homework one week, live editing demo and editing lecture the next.
🗺️ How to Make a Map
Instructor: Bryan C. Gersbeck
Student Ages: 10–14
Dates:
-May 13, 15, 17 (Workshop A)
-August 12, 14, 16 (Workshop B)
Cost: $90
🌟 Highlights:
- Dive into the world of cartography, and learn the art of mapmaking from scratch.
- Explore different map styles, techniques, and tools to create unique maps with expert guidance.
✨ Beginning Printmaking Workshop: Exploring the Art of Printmaking
Instructor: Paige Darlington
Student Ages: 8–18
Dates:
-May 14–16 (Workshop A)
-Aug. 5, 7, 9 (Workshop B)
Cost: $90 each
🌟 Highlights:
- Learn various printmaking techniques.
- Explore fundamental art composition principles.
- Draw ideas from renowned printmaking artists.
- Create multiple prints during the workshop.
- Gain inspiration for further experimentation.
✨ Constructing Creativity Workshop: Exploring Assemblage Art
Instructor: Paige Darlington
Student Ages: 10–18
Dates:
-May 14–16 (Workshop A)
-Aug. 5, 7, 9 (Workshop B)
Cost: $90 each
🌟 Highlights:
- Explore the engaging art technique of assemblage.
- Learn fundamental art composition principles.
- Discover the work of famous assemblage artists.
- Craft pieces using ordinary “found” objects.
Payment plans are available! We offer a standard four-installment payment plan for single-semester courses and eight installments for year-long courses at no extra charge. Note: In some cases we may be able to provide alternative payment options tailored to your specific requirements. To set up your preferred payment arrangement, please call us during regular business hours at the time of registration.
Visit the Courses page to enroll today. And as always, if you have questions or need assistance in selecting a course, feel free to call us at (845) 726-4444. We’re here to help! Our phone lines are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.