Art Lab (MWF, 3:00–4:30pm — students taking Art Lab must take a PE that meets before school such as XC or Weightlifting), Teacher, Johnny Walker
As artists we codify culture. We help define the present and generate possibilities for the future. To successfully do this we must know our past, know our peers, open our senses to life around us, explore a variety of different relevant mediums with which to work, and bring our own personal voice and vision into the world. Art is about experimentation. It is about trying new things, extending boundaries, and pushing limits. But art is also rooted in the past and all new work is built upon the foundation of what has come before it. In this class we’ll study a selection of Artists using their work as inspiration and starting points from which to launch our own explorations. We’ll work with a variety of media, techniques, and approaches to creating art. Be prepared to draw, build, research, write, paint, discuss, and follow our creative urges in the different directions they lead us. This class is a laboratory because we will seek new ways of making art and a deeper understanding of what art can be and the functions that it serves. Students will learn to document their processes of thinking and creating with clear, well- defined photographs. A journal of ideas, research, and written reflections will be kept by each student. Through frequent opportunities for reflection and whole class critiques and discussions, students will become adept at self assessing their work and art practice. Art Lab is an honors course worth 4.25 GPA. The class meets on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 3:00 – 4:30 pm. Art Lab is offered on a trimester schedule. Students are able to alternate between Art Lab and PE classes at the change of each trimester. Students in all grades are now eligible for Art Lab, but will need to fulfill their PE requirement by taking a PE class that meets before school.

AP or Honors Studio Art (TTh, 4:00–5:15pm – for 11th & 12th grades), Teacher, Johnny Walker
This class is for students who are developing a Sustained Investigation for their Studio Art portfolio — a body of work that demonstrates a student’s sustained and thoughtful investigation of a specific idea generated by the student. Students will explore a personal, central focus in depth and are free to work in any medium that addresses their conceptual inquiries. The Sustained Investigation is not a selection or variety of works produced as solutions to class projects, assignments, or a collection of works with differing intents. The concentration should grow out of the student’s ideas and demonstrate growth and discovery through a number of conceptually related works. Each student is required to develop a written artist statement that will evolve with the work over the course of the year. Students will learn to document their processes of thinking and creating with clear, well defined photographs, video, and organized documents. Through frequent opportunities for reflection and whole class critiques and discussions, students will become adept at self-assessing their work and art practice. A journal of ideas, research, and written reflections will be kept by each student.

Advanced Composition & Music Theory (TTh, 4:00–5:00pm – for 11th & 12th grades), Teacher: Andrew Held
Prerequisite: Foundations of Music Theory or teacher approval (based on assessment). This course is designed for students who have a working knowledge of the language of music, including comprehension of chords, rhythm, ear training, and notation. In this course, students will build on their existing knowledge and gain the tools to create higher level original compositions. Students will explore various genres, styles, and artists through listening and critical thinking, and apply observed techniques to their own work. Students will also become comfortable reading and writing sheet music (by hand and using digital software) and more complex charts. We’ll do transcription, composition of bass lines for given melodies, learn how to write and identify cadences, secondary dominants, and embellishing tones, and more! We will take some of our course work from AP Music Theory, but our primary focus will be for each student to build a batch of new and diverse original songs and compositions.

Fall Play Production, Teacher: Robin Grace Soto, Producer: Akina Adderley

This fall, the after-school theatre program will be putting on a full-length play from the American Realism period of theatre history. The play will be announced in early August. Students will be expected to commit to after-school rehearsals on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4pm—6pm. The fall show will take place in late November or early December. Auditions will be held on Tuesday, August 9th, 3:30–5pm in the Big Room. More information about the play, auditions, performance dates, and the rehearsal schedule will be emailed out to those registered for the Fall Play Production class no later than August 1st. Participants will each pay $125 for production materials. Please email robingrace@griffinschool.org to sign up for the auditions and receive additional information. If you are interested in participating but cannot commit to the full rehearsal process, or you wish to learn more about crew and designer options, please email robingrace@griffinschool.org.

Music Lessons — Individual

Teachers: Akina Adderley (voice), Greg Jones (guitar and ukulele), Kyle Clayton (bass), Andy Beaudoin (drums), Casie Luong (piano). If you select an instrument below, we will contact you to schedule weekly private music lessons (either after school or during Study Hall) in voice, guitar, ukulele, bass, drums, piano, or violin. Lessons begin the week of August 22nd and end the week of December 5th (14 lessons total). Semester fee = $500. For questions about music lessons, contact akina@griffinschool.org.

• Acoustic Guitar
• Electric Guitar
• Bass Guitar
• Drums
• Piano
• Voice
• Ukelele
• Violin