The High School Studio Workshops at the National Gallery of Art
intervention, we saw an opportunity to reach not only art and art
provide student-centered learning experiences for area high school
history classes, but to extend the reach to science students as well.
art classes using original works of art. Each two-part workshop
includes an in-depth examination and discussion of works of art in
the galleries, either from special exhibitions or the permanent
collections, followed by a related, hands-on studio activity. Following
the gallery discussion, students create original works of art by
interpreting the subject matter and techniques encountered on the
tour to further reinforce what was discovered in the galleries. The
workshops encourage students to think critically by looking carefully
at art and sharing their impressions, formulating interpretations
based on observations, and making connections between art and
life.
Students from The Beddow School, Accokeek, MD
Program
In the fall of 2014, over 200 participants attended nine High School
Studio Workshops, entitled Exploring Sculpture: Balancing Art and
Science, which focused on the Gallery’s collection of sculpture. The
emphasis was on figural sculpture in-the-round from the Renaissance
through the late 19th century. They also explored the role of
conservation and how it changes and deepens our understanding of
an object over time. Following the gallery discussion, students
explored art concepts such as form, volume, and movement, by
creating their own figural sculptures using clay on a wire armature.
With this workshop that explored art materials and scientific
Each workshop began by students touring the collections with
gallery teachers to examine the materials and techniques of making
sculptures including clay, bronze, marble, and wax, and to consider
and analyz H