Welcome from the Visual Arts Teachers

We are the Visual Arts teachers, Mr. Matt Appling and
Mrs. Heather Huettner. Welcome!
​
We are proud to share the highlights of our year of creative work with you. As you tour our Spring Art Show, you will find artworks representing each and every Whitefield artist - from Pre-K to twelfth grade. At Whitefield, we understand that all human creativity is a reflection of our nature as God's image-bearers. Through Visual Arts, students learn about principles of aesthetics, Christian ethics, and themselves as creators.

Upper School Visual Arts

Artists in seventh through twelfth grades have a variety of unique opportunities to explore in-depth creative work. One of the most popular opportunities is Ceramic Arts. This class, divided into special sections for boys and girls, and held in Whitefield's Sculpture Lab in the Annex building, challenges students to exercise both technical skill and creative ambition.

Whitefield artists who have practiced basic creative processes have the biannual opportunity to learn advanced techniques in printmaking. Methods such as linocut, silkscreen, etching, and cyanotype challenge students' technical and artistic skills, and open a world of possibilities beyond pencils and paintbrushes.

"Ceramics has been a great environment to learn and better yourself artistically and as a person."
- Zeke Lee, Freshman

"I've never taken an Upper School art class before, and it totally blew away my expectations. Definitely an all-time favorite elective."
- Andy Kazmaier, Junior

​Pre-K, TK Artists

The story of Whitefield Visual Arts begins with our Little Lions! Students enjoyed learning the art of "directed creativity" with Mrs. Huettner and getting their hands dirty with many new kinds of art-making materials. 
"Ceramics class has shown me things that I enjoy that I never would have without this type of creative space."
- Thomas Reynolds, Sophomore

"I have taken Art class for eleven years, and each year, I learn something new and valuable."
- Reese Garrison, Junior

Kindergarten Artists

Kindergarten students learned and practiced lots of foundational skills, with Mrs. Huettner, from color mixing to paper cutting.
"Art class is amazing because I can relax and just let my brain have fun. I get to use my imagination here and even if it's troubling at times, beauty comes out of it."
- Joelle Royston, Junior

"Ceramics class gives a break in the busyness of a school day to work with my hands and make something unique."
- Henry Schulewitz, Sophomore

First Grade Artists

First Graders got their first introduction to the formal Elements of Art while completing many complex, multi-day projects.

In this gallery, you will find projects that include sculpted birds, superhero self-portraits, sunflowers inspired by Vincent Van Gogh, cityscapes inspired by James Rizzi, plates of fruit inspired by Paul Cezanne, radial-symmetry snowflakes, scarecrows, and more!

Art Through History

Throughout their years in Lower and Upper School Visual Arts, Whitefield students observe the works of many notable artists from history. See if you can find the artwork inspired by these artists in our student galleries.

Second Grade Artists

Second Graders enjoyed building on their Art skills with Mrs. Huettner while also discussing the virtues, such as fortitude and temperance that help us become not just great artists, but great people. In the second grade gallery, you will find sculpted fish hiding out in their dioramas, dancing figures inspired by Keith Haring, Toucans in the style of Henri Rousseau, Romero Britto inspired hearts, pastoral landscapes and more!

"I have learned that I am more capable than I think I am."
- Lincoln Downing, fifth grade

"This year in Art class, I have learned that I should not erase everything that's not perfect."
- Aurora Galler, fifth grade

Third Grade Artists

Third Graders worked with Mr. Appling and enjoyed more creative freedom and choices than ever before while learning about the spiritual dimension of creative work - that people everywhere are called to creative work by virtue of being made in our Creator's image.

In this gallery, you will find sculptures of Greek temple ruins, which accompanied study of the Athenian Parthenon, Greek-styled vases, self-portraits of the future, landscapes that demonstrate perspective, tributes to American artist's George Rodrigue's "Blue Dog," and more.

Did you know?

Every senior at Whitefield Academy studies Art History as a part of our core classical curriculum.

"Art History class opened my eyes! I had no idea that I had an interest in art until this class. I learned so much, and can't wait to learn more about art."
- Mary Grace Wilson, Senior

"History is typically taught in the same way, over and over. But learning history through the lens of art gave me a whole new perspective."
- Aaron Perry, Senior

"Art History class was an amazing place to converse openly with my classmates about the impact and purpose art has served in peoples' lives, past and present. I looked forward to Art History every day."
- Summer Ficinus, Senior

Fourth Grade Artists

Fourth graders built on foundational skills by emphasizing more independent thought and problem solving as they worked through more complex projects with Mr. Appling.

Fourth grade Art tied into their study of medieval history with a project based on Notre Dame cathedral. The rest of their year was filled with work on Mary Blair styled castles, self-portraits inspired by Amadeo Modigliani, Chinese vases, cityscapes, landscapes and tiny sculpted villages.
"Art class is a time to make your imagination a real thing, and to glorify God!"
- Breckon Uhl, fifth grade

"Art has helped me learn about how God created the world, and how He made us."
​- Lauren Jones, fifth grade

Fifth Grade Artists

Our fifth grade class found new confidence in their skills as they recalled their successes and skills from past years and brought new and exciting ideas to life with Mr. Appling. In this gallery, you will see sculptures of succulent plants, Southwestern-themed Notan squares, Batik designs, cakes inspired by artist Wayne Thiebaud, and painted collages inspired by Robert Frost's Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, and finally, fragmented paintings of famous snack logos.
"I have learned that Art is A LOT more than just coloring and drawing; it's so much more!"
- Hannah Peterson, sixth grade

"Art really makes me happy. Every Tuesday, I wake up and grin because it's Art day."
- London Porter, sixth grade

Sixth Grade Artists

Students in our sixth grade class savored their final year together in Lower School Art with Mr. Appling. Each year, the sixth grade work serves as examples for all our younger students to admire and anticipate, while building creative thought processes to carry them into Upper School.

Sixth graders sculpted complex coral reefs, created bas relief skulls after studying the work of Georgia O'Keeffe, painted Great Waves after Katsushika Hokusai, immortalized themselves in Roy Lichtenstein styled self-portraits, tackled African themed abstract compositions, and more.
Mr. Matt Appling teaches Visual Arts to Lower School grades 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6, Upper School electives and twelfth grade Art History. This is his eleventh year at Whitefield. He has a BA in Graphic Design and a Masters of Divinity and enjoys painting, drawing, and printmaking.
​Mrs. Heather Huettner teaches Visual Arts to Preschool, Kindergarten and Grade 2. This is her first year at Whitefield after teaching Art in schools for more than twelve years, as well as small-group lessons from her home. She has a BA in Art and an MA in Education and enjoys creating a variety of textile and mixed media arts.
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