Boys Explore "Art Before Time"

Art Department Chair Nik Vlahos explains the concept behind the work to be accomplished in art classes at every division level this school year: “Every year the art department chooses a theme for all of the Browning boys to study. The focus may be on an artist, group of artists, region or time period. This year we are looking far away from the art world and are studying prehistoric art. We are looking at cave paintings and petroglyphs (drawings carved into rock) from all over the world. Every student in an art class will make artwork related to this theme.”

Mr. Vlahos adds, “Work ranges from large stretched canvases to works on paper executed with cray-pas and watercolor. The large canvases will be worked on mainly by Middle and Upper school students, with the Lower School boys contributing in the early stages of the painting. The cave paintings have allowed us to focus on applying texture to the canvas before the painting is made with the purpose of simulating the surface of the cave. Using materials from the hardware store, the Lower School boys played a major role in applying this texture. After the surface is prepared, the images we choose will be projected onto the canvas, traced and then painted. All works will be displayed at the Browning Holiday Party on December 9.”