Encouraging Creative Potential
Art for All Students
Beginning in Kindergarten, every Charleston Day School student receives visual art instruction weekly. The lower school grades focus on learning the elements of art and principles of design through drawing, painting, sculpting, collage and printmaking. Inspiration abounds in art history and children’s literature. Student artwork is shown on the walls and end of the year showcase.
The Advancement of Art
The middle school art program builds year after year, with each eighth grader graduating with a strong portfolio consisting of still lifes, portraits, landscapes and other various works. Middle school art classes advance students’ understanding of the elements of art and principles of design through the study of famous artists and art history, personal expression, exposure to a variety of techniques and materials, and modern design. Students gain confidence and mastery in drawing from observation with still life assignments, renderings from photos, and occasional outdoor excursions. 
These year-long classes are organized in a natural sequence of art elements, including line, shape, value, color, texture, form and space. Techniques include, but are not limited to, drawing, painting, printmaking, and 3-D construction. Creative risk-taking and time management skills are supported and developed in the middle school years. A new medium for seventh and eighth grades is digital art in which students learn the fundamentals of drawing, painting, image manipulation and graphic design using Adobe Photoshop.
The Eighth Grade Portrait
The eighth grade portrait is a cherished Charleston Day School tradition. Students collaborate on a large painting that is revealed at the last school assembly of the year. Each class portrait is hung in the school for years to come.
2019-2020 Visual Art Showcase
View the online visual art showcase at cdsart.online!
2018-2019 Video
Beyond the Classroom
8th Grade Portraits
If you've visited our gym, you've noticed the "faces on the walls" ... Learn More
Gibbes Docent Program
Eighth graders become art experts ... Learn More
After School Art
Glass making, sewing and photography are just a few of the art classes available in the After School Program ... Learn More