The Cherry Court curriculum is one of the few programs designed for the unique developmental needs of middle school. During the school year, classes meet once a week, 14 weeks per semester. Each class is 1½ hours long. Classes for grades seven, eight, and nine are followed by an optional 45 minute open studio.

To make the most progress, students should plan to attend at least two semesters and come to class regularly. Classes meet evenings, and on Saturdays. In addition, classes and workshops are available during the summer. Grades 7 through 12 extended summer classes provide the instructional hours of one semester. Course Descriptions:

IMAGINE

After years of drawing and painting with freedom and abandon, the 6th grade artist becomes less spontaneous. Students notice the difference between the symbols that once represented trees and houses in earlier grades compared to the way trees and houses really look. Even the most gifted artist slows down and begins to labor over art in an effort to create more adult representations. For the first time there is a sense of drawing right and drawing wrong.

To avoid the bad feelings connected with drawing wrong, students often practice drawing one subject well, such as animals or robots. This becomes a comfortable creative zone that many students avoid stepping beyond. Without guidance, many gifted students remain within this zone, until they have exhausted the possibilities and drift away from drawing altogether.

IMAGINE is a program that builds self-confidence in young artists and shows them how to express themselves creatively in dozens of ways. Their comfort zone gradually engulfs more subjects and art materials. Soon the idea of drawing right and wrong is replaced with “What are the possibilities?” This is what creative thinking is all about. Click here to view our IMAGINE art gallery.

SUMMER ART WORKSHOPS 2012: IMAGINE THAT!

Youngsters are invited to imagine, dream, create, and have a magical summer. Two week-long workshops are filled with exciting art projects. Workshops are open to students endering grades six or seven in the fall. Kids can attend one or both workshops.

Schedule: Each workshop is five days long, Monday - Friday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

WORKSHOP 1

My Sketchbook: Characters are fun to draw. Focus on Disney, monsters, robots, muppets, dragons, comical characters, manga

Projects: Monster Mash Drawing, Monsters of the Deep Watercolor, Monsters on Their Day Off Sculpture, Robots Have Feelings Too Painting, Recycled-Materials Gift: Flowers and Vase, Recycled-Materials Gift: Owl Paper Weight, Meet a New Muppet Drawing, Felt a Muppet, Muppet Puppet, My Original Character Drawing, My Friend the Dragon Drawing, Dragon Eggs and Baby Dragon Sculpture, Mad Hatter Jack-In-the-Box Altered Box, Mad Hatter Curiosity Sculpture, Down the Rabbit Hole Painting, The King/Queen of Hearts Drawing, Outlandish Wearable Hats and Ties.

Visual Inspiration: Monsters Inc., WALL-E, The Muppet Movie, How to Train Your Dragon, Alice in Wonderland (2010)

WORKSHOP 2

My Sketchbook: Characters are Fun to Draw. Focus on character style, animal cartoons, anime, comical caricatures, imaginary creatures, mythical creatures

Projects: Lion Mask, Lion Print, African-Art Inspired Wall Hanging, Lion Polymer Clay Key Chain, Art-of-China Inspired Scroll, Sumi-e Nature Painting, Golden Ticket/Candy Park Painting, Crazy Ice Cream Dessert Painting, Ice Cream Cone Sculpture, Peter Max Poster, Tie-Dye T-Shirt, Peace Beads or Key Chain, Paisley Fabric Design, Design Your Own Cartoon, Photoshop Self-Portrait with Harry and Friends, Hogwarts Altered Homework Box, Letter from Hogwarts Prop, Chocolate Frog and Bertie Botts Jelly Beans Prop, Feather Pen Prop, Magical Creatures Flash Cards, Mini Magical Recipes & Potions Altered Book (recipe for butter beer & berry ink, entertaining special effects)

Visual Inspiration: The Lion King, Mulan, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Yellow Submarine, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

GENERAL WORKSHOP INFORMATION

Tuition: $270 per workshop, early bird discount of $250 if tuition is received or postmarked by May 31

Location:Cherry Court Studios, Suite 203, Mezzanine, Shoppes at Northway, 8000 McKnight Road, Pittsburgh, PA  1523

Instructor: Marianne C Massucci, certified and experienced art educator, assisted by outstanding high school and college art students.

When to Register: Registration will begin April 30, 2012. Class size is limited to 10 students per workshop. To reserve a space call 412 334-2567. Students will be accepted on a first come first serve basis.

Notes for Parents: Youngsters should bring a packed lunch and afternoon snack. They should wear older clothes or bring an old paint shirt. All materials are provided. The studio will open shortly before 10:00 am. No morning pre-care is provided, so children should not arrive early. Parents may arrange for a later pick up time after 4:30 by submitting the bottom of the printed registration form and a separate fee of $5 per each 1/2 hour of care. To visit our studio or with questions call 412 334-2567.

ART CHALLENGE

This course is designed for middle school artists entering grades 7, 8, & 9. Kids in middle school love a challenge. That’s why video games are so popular. Cherry Court’s ART CHALLENGE for middle school takes kids on a quest to complete 18 exciting Challenges, starting with the simplest and progressing through more and more complex levels of creative problem solving. The prize is a completed million-dollar (perhaps priceless) portfolio. ART CHALLENGE takes advantage of students’ rapidly developing motor skills and abundance of creative energy.

A personal journey: Young artists receive their empty portfolios on the first day of class. Students begin the first Challenge, working at a pace comfortable for them. The average student will complete six Challenges in a semester. Some with busy academic and extracurricular schedules may complete less. Others may find the time to finish seven or eight Challenges. Teachers and classmates provide inspiration, encouragement, and feedback. But within this supportive environment, each student progresses in a direction suited to his/her personality, aspirations, and unique world view.

Sample Challenge: ART CHALLENGE 7 is called: A Surreal Experience.Students take pencil in hand to create a surreal dreamscape in the style of Salvador Dali. Part of the Challenge is to sketch three-dimensional cubes, cylinders, and spheres using perspective, a source of light, shading, highlights, shadows, and cast shadows. Beyond that point, students must engage their imaginations to consider the creative possibilities. Should they create a mysterious board game, a room in another dimension, or something intergalactic? Below are project examples representing 9th grade work. Click HERE to see the complete course outline.

View our student ART CHALLENGE gallery.

ART & TECHNOLOGY

This course is available to students in grades 8 and above who have completed at least 12 Challenges from the ART CHALLENGE program. In the fall, students will create art in two computer programs: Adobe Photoshop and CorelDraw. The first is a bitmap program which manipulates photographs. The second is a draw program (although it can handle photos as well).

For fall, 2011, we have upgraded our computer and programs. Computer art has evolved so rapidly that it is regarded as fine art all by itself. It is fun for young students, who have grown up in the computer age, to push the limits of what can be created.

This course will be arranged as a 1½ hour tutoring session meeting at the same time each week. If students do not own these programs, they may schedule practice time when the studio is open for classes.

The spring ART & TECHNOLOGY course will explore several animation programs.

During the summer, students may elect to study any of the programs offered during the school year. They will consult parents and instructor to set up seven three-hour tutoring sessions plus optional practice time.

INTENSIVE SKILL DEVELOPMENT

This course is available to grades 9 and up who have completed 12 Challenges of the ART CHALLENGE program. Subjects will include still life, people, and environments. Students will strive for proficiency in both drawing and paint media. An important part of the course will be training one’s eyes to observe and record.

However, within the parameters of observational studies, students will also learn to see the artist as visual poet, or one who interprets what is recorded.

Students may approach this course with different degrees of urgency. Some plan to attend a top university, Governor’s School, or win a scholarship as a high school senior. Those students should do all recommended outside sketches as well as spend extra time in open studio. Quality work cannot be produced without quantity in the number of hours practiced.

On the other hand, students who are studying art just for the enjoyment of the subject can take a more casual approach to the course. For these students, the extra sketches and open studio are not urgently needed.

This course is offered each semester and in the evenings during summer session. Special class arrangements can be made to fit the goals of students regarding the number of classes per week and the focus of study.

PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENT FOR HIGH SCHOOL

To meet the educational needs of students in Cherry Court’s growing program, we offer advanced courses for students in grades 10 through 12. These courses are sequentially arranged, and designed to guide students toward advanced art production that reflects individual talents and areas of interest.

Participation in PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENT will be limited to students who have completed at least 12 ART CHALLENGES within Cherry Court’s middle school program. This foundation in the fundamentals of design is a critical platform on which to build new skills.

Course offerings within the PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENT program include:

Intensive Skills: Life studies that include still life, people and environments, will increase the student’s ability to observe and record, while better understanding the artist’s role as visual poet. Students have an opportunity to take this course as early as grade 9, and may already have completed this requirement in Cherry Court’s middle school program.

Creative Exploration of Media: Prerequisite – INTENSIVE SKILLS. While continuing to improve observational skills, students will use art materials in increasingly creative ways and begin to make selections that reflect a personal style.

Personal Style: Prerequisite – CREATIVE EXPLORATION OF MEDIA. Students will use art elements and materials in unique ways that express their personalities, interests, and experiences.

In-Depth Study: A strong portfolio will represent both breadth and depth of study. While previous courses offer breadth of study, this course will focus on a narrow aspect of art, selected by the student, that is explored thoroughly. Most ideally, this course should be taken in the summer between Junior and Senior year. However, it may be necessary to take this course earlier in order to prepare a portfolio for competition or provide other advantages.

Art & Technology:This is an optional course offered at both the middle school and high school levels. The fall covers the basics of Photoshop and CorelDraw, while the spring explores animation.

Select EventART CHALLENGE: Tuesday, 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. (Jun 19, 2012)INTENSIVE SKILL DEV: Tuesday, 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. (Jun 19, 2012)ART CHALLENGE: Wednesday, 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. (Jun 20, 2012)INTENSIVE SKILL DEV: Wednesay, 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. (Jun 20, 2012)ART CHALLENGE: Thursday, 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. (Jun 21, 2012)INTENSIVE SKILL DEV: Thursday, 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. (Jun 21, 2012)ART & TECHNOLOGY: By Special Arrangement (Jun 21, 2012)UPPER SCHOOL PROGRAMS: By Special Arrangement (Jun 21, 2012)ART CHALLENGE: Saturday, 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. (Jun 23, 2012)INTENSIVE SKILL DEV: Saturday, 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. (Jun 23, 2012)INTENSIVE SKILL DEV: Sunday, 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. (Jun 24, 2012)ART CHALLENGE: Sunday, 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. (Jun 24, 2012)IMAGINE Workshop 1: Mon. - Fri., 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (Jul 09, 2012)IMAGINE Workshop 2: Mon. - Fri., 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (Jul 16, 2012)IMAGINE Workshop 1: Mon. - Fri., 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (Jul 23, 2012)IMAGINE Workshop 2: Mon. - Fri., 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (Jul 30, 2012)