Art Class Offerings

ART/ NATURE STUDY  (ALL LEVELS) -  Jerusha Betzold

Art in Nature is a thoughtfully designed art class that blends nature study with the development of foundational artistic skills. Rooted in a classical education approach, this class invites students to slow down, observe the beauty of the natural world, and translate what they see into meaningful artwork. Students will be introduced to a variety of art techniques, with a special focus on learning how to use watercolor, as well as completing a wide range of hands-on handicrafts that build both creativity and fine motor skills. Throughout the year, we will also engage in art study, learn about an artist, and spend time listening to classical music to create a calm and enriching atmosphere that supports focus and inspiration.

Whenever weather permits, our class will include nature walks, giving students the opportunity to explore and closely observe God’s creation firsthand. These experiences will serve as inspiration for their artwork and help foster a deeper appreciation for the world around them. Students will be encouraged to notice details, patterns, colors, and textures in nature, and to reflect those observations in their creative work.

This is my second year teaching, and I have already seen such meaningful growth in my students. Last year, I had the joy of teaching a diverse group of learners with a wide range of needs and learning styles, and one student shared that he found the class especially peaceful and relaxing. That experience deeply encouraged me and affirmed the importance of creating a calm, supportive environment where all students can thrive. I have also witnessed incredible improvement in my first-year students—not only in their artistic abilities, but in their confidence, focus, and appreciation for both art and nature.

My goal for Art in Nature is to provide a nurturing and inspiring space where students can grow in skill, creativity, and wonder, while developing a lasting appreciation for art, beauty, and the natural world.

Expectations: Students will be expected to pay attention during class and narrate back any material that we read in class. They will also take extra time to notice details and try to depict things in nature as they see them with the naked eye. This is not a modern art class, so I expect work to be done and finished in a way that reflects how we see it in real life. We will also finish a handful of handicrafts, so the children are expected to use fine motor skills with nettles, tools for metal embossing, folding origami paper, and more. 

LEATHER  CRAFTING (ALL LEVELS) -  Lily Benedict

Through unique projects with endless opportunities for personalization, students will learn in detail leather crafting skills such as choosing the proper type of leather, preparing leather for tooling or carving, how to properly use carving and craft tools, and how to color the finished project.

3rd - 5th grade students will practice carving and tooling techniques on simple projects each week, while 6th - 12th graders will learn each step of a more complicated project such as a belt, a wallet, or a notebook cover in detail, from cutting out the leather to assembling the project by sewing, gluing, or lacing. 

With so many design options to choose from - carving vs tooling (or both!), stitching vs lacing, dying vs painting - students have great opportunities to let their creativity flow and make a unique project of their very own!

Expectations

Students enrolled in the Leather Crafting Class are expected to engage respectfully in each class. Projects will be kept by the teacher to reduce the risk of misplacing them and being unable to finish unless special permission is requested near the end of the year to finish a project before a deadline. Students are encouraged to bring their projects to showcase at the Winter and Spring Showcases and the Art Gala. 

Curriculum

I will be using a variety of leather carving pattern books with animal or floral designs, as well as instructional books for how to stamp certain patterns. Most books will be written by Al Stohlman or will come from Tandy Leather. The main design book will be "How to Carve Leather" by Al Stohlman.