Visual Art Program Description

Central’s PVA Art program expects students to act and think like an artist. In this program, you will be asked to develop your artistic skills through a series of courses that will challenge and encourage your inner Picasso. Art is learned through trial and error, mastery of technique, understanding fundamental principles and being able to incorporate them into meaningful and technically sound 2-D or 3-D pieces of art.

Students with a wide range of backgrounds enter our program to learn and practice the foundations that will lead them towards personal style and innovation by the end of Grade 12. This program is an intensive study in visual art and includes a wide range of media exploration, art history, art appreciation, and professional development in the arts. Students will explore drawing techniques and styles, colour exploration, painting, mixed media, sculpture, ceramics, and jewelry. Having an art studio class every day of the school year helps to maintain your skill level and challenge your creative spirit. Students in PVA Art may also benefit from the Advanced Placement Studio Art program as well. This is a college-level program offered while still in high school. Please visit our Art Gallery to see some of the work created in our studios. Central also offers a general arts program for students that want to study art, but just not at the PVA level.

Please see Applying to PVA for audition/interview requirements.

Advanced Placement Studio Art

Advanced Placement (AP) is a College level program that offers students post-secondary course work while still in high school. It is offered across the United States and Canada, and most post-secondary institutions grant university or college credits for AP course work.

Advanced Placement Studio Art is when students learn and produce artwork that is considered to be College Level. Students accepted into Central Memorial’s PVA program are given the opportunity to pursue Advanced Placement Studio Art during their Art 30 and Art 35 Classes.

• Students work towards the creation of a portfolio that is sent to the AP College Board in New York for judging
• students who receive a qualifying grade for their AP portfolio may use that result as college credit
• once you are enrolled at a post-secondary institution, you may use these credits towards your degree
• students that agree to take on the challenge of AP will explore and develop their artistic skills beyond the high school level.

When do I decide if AP is right for me?

There is no pressure on students to commit to the AP Criteria until they are in Art 30 (Grade 12). A series of work is the most challenging and difficult part of AP Program, but students work closely with their teacher and have plenty of guidance. Students must complete a series of 12 images that relate together by not only a related concept, but by technical style and approach. Please see our Gallery and look for the images labeled AP for examples of student work.

For more information about the College Board or AP, please click here.

Leadership in the Arts 35 / Entrepreneurial Artist

All PVA 30-level students are enrolled in one Leadership in the Arts 35 (LITA). These programs of study allow PVA students to explore how they see themselves as artists and become more aware of the process involved in preparing for the marketing and business aspect of being a professional in the arts community.

Students will experience a variety of teacher-led assignments/activities as well as a number of student-directed online projects. Through LITA experiences, students will learn not only how to act as professional artists, but how to develop a desire to be lifelong participants in the fabric of our community. Students will be able to tailor their experience in LITA to their interests, from planning events, participating in competitions, or making promotional videos and social media content, to sitting on boards and participating in committees and writing grants.