Visual Arts
SFCS Family Creative Night Returns!
Thursday February 9, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Shannon Forest Christian School (SFCS) Lower School families are invited to enjoy the SECOND Family Creative Night of the school year! This is a community outreach art program that brings families together for fun and creativity. The upcoming evening on Thursday, February 9, will include learning about clay hand-building techniques to create a clay pot.
Materials will be provided at no cost to participating families. Our community Kohl’s friends will be volunteering for this event and through the Kohl’s Education Program our Lower School Art Department can receive $500!
The evening will also feature door prizes donated by a generous SFCS parent, so join us in the East Campus Multi-purpose Room from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Please note that all clay projects will need to stay at school for firing. Mrs. Stewart, a SFCS parent, will finish the pottery in her kiln. Participants will need to allow a couple of weeks to receive their fired pottery pieces.
Space is limited, so please fill out the form below and return it to Mrs. Mendola by Monday, January 30. Your confirmation of participation will be sent via email.
5th Grade’s Cruz to be Published in Greenville News
The artwork of Shannon Forest 5th Grade student Paris Cruz has been selected to appear in the Greenville News Kids Page. The Kids Page runs each Friday in the Upstate Weekend section and highlights creative writing and artwork by elementary students in the area. Paris’ favorite things include reading, playing with Legos, drawing, Science and barbecue. “When I grow up I want to design Lego video games,” says Paris. Proud parents are Enrique and Deborah Cruz of Simpsonville.
Middle & Upper School Visual Arts
This year the Middle School Art classes at Shannon Forest will be studying American Art History. Students will be learning about artists, characteristics and techniques of a specific time period and then complete a project based on that information, using a variety of media.
The High School classes are studying the different elements and principles of design, and learning to apply the techniques in their own artwork. Lessons in drawing, painting, and 3D design are accompanied by Art History, aesthetic awareness, art criticism and career exploration.
Both the Middle and High School classes are looking forward to having their artwork showcased during the Dinner with the Arts on Saturday, November 19, and later in the year at the ACSI Art Festival.
For further questions about the Middle and High School Art classes, contact Elizabeth Tate at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Lower School Art Curriculum
I am very blessed to be at Shannon Forest Christian School (SFCS) to and teach Art to the wonderful students in the Lower School. My philosophy about teaching Art to young students is to keep instruction simple, but structured. Shannon Forest Art students will have many opportunities to explore different mediums, enjoy the process of learning and have a successful outcome. By breaking down instruction to its simplest form, young students are provided with the necessary visual tools to succeed in any artistic activity. My intent is to give the children quick artistic success to build up their self-esteem, which in turn will give them the confidence to be successful in other educational areas.
The SFCS Art curriculum provides all students with a well-sequenced program of developmentally appropriate Art experiences in five major areas: Drawing, Painting, Printmaking, Three-Dimensional Design, and Two-Dimensional Design.
Students are involved in activities which are culturally balanced and integrated with study in Language Arts, Social Studies, Mathematics and Science. A variety of strategies are used to enable students to construct meaning, investigate, make decisions, and solve problems creatively. The comprehensive Elementary Art curriculum enhances the students' total educational experience.
Understanding and applying Media, Techniques, and Processes
- Students know the difference between materials, techniques and processes.
- Students describe how different materials, techniques and processes cause different responses.
- Students use different media, techniques and processes to communicate ideas, experiences and stories.
- Students use Art materials and tools in safe and responsible manner.
- Students Use the knowledge of structures and functions.
- Students describe how different expressive features and organizational principles cause different responses.
- Students use visual structures and functions of Art to communicate ideas, choosing and evaluating a range of subject matter, symbols and ideas
- Students explore and understand prospective content for works of Art.
- Students select and use subject matter, symbols and ideas to communicate meaning, understanding the Visual Arts in relation to history and cultures.
- Students identify specific works of Art as belonging to particular cultures, times and places.
- Students demonstrate how History, Culture and the Visual Arts can influence each other in making and studying works of Art.
- Reflecting upon and assessing the characteristics and merits of their [a student's own] work and the work of others, students understand that there are various purposes for creating works of Visual Art.
- Students describe how people's experiences influence the development of specific artworks.
- Student make connections between Visual Arts and other disciplines.
- Students understand and use similarities and differences between characteristics of the Visual Arts and other Art disciplines.
- Students identify connections between the Visual Arts and other disciplines in the curriculum.
Please contact Mrs. Mendola for further inquiries at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .