Art at BACS

Beth Johns, who taught art at BACS from the 1960’s through the 1980’s recently passed into the Spiritual World. Mrs. Johns put love and attention into not just teaching art but also into developing an art curriculum closely connected with New Church education. That curriculum continues as a strong art program lead by our current teacher, Linda Kees. Art education provides our students with opportunities to be creative, to focus, to persevere, to develop motor skills, and to strengthen their visual learning. By connecting our creative art curriculum with art appreciation, our students also gain a kind of cultural literacy which in the last week saw 8th graders discussing Andy Warhol and first graders drawing in the style of Salvador Dali. Our art students are also, of course, gaining an appreciation for the vast and varied beauty of the Lord’s creation. I can remember Mrs. Johns explaining to me as a second grader the many different forms a tree can take and what a shame it would be if I drew them all the same way. Hopefully you have a chance to walk our halls and see the work of our art classes. It is a treat to see the students’ varied expressions of the vast world around them.

Greg Henderson