Art cannot be separated from life. It is the expression of the greatest need of which life is capable.

—Robert Henri, The Art Spirit

Though the arts can be pursued or remembered at any walk of life the high school experience remains the foundation for skill development and creative thinking. With a functionalist understanding of arts definition and purpose along with an understanding of an inquiry and developmental process approach the student has a foundation to succeed in any endeavor- from animation to design, from fashion to architecture and business; the possibilities are limitless.

“If you’re not prepared to be wrong, you’ll never come up with anything original.”

“We don’t grow into creativity; we grow out of it. Or rather, we get educated out of it.”

—Sir Ken Robinson, “Do Schools Kill Creativity?”, TED Talk, 2006

The ability to communicate concepts and ideas through expression, symbol and prototype develop a higher form of communication and connection. These skills first manifest in interest and take the form of questions or problems which become the foundation of big ideas. These big ideas are solutions to be considered and understood rather than forced or persuaded.

“The work of art is complete only as it works in the experience of others rather than the one who created it.”

—John Dewey, Art as Experience (1934)