Staff:

Ms H Killane (Subject Co-ordinator - Career Break)
Ms K Rogers (Subject Co-ordinator - temporary)
Mr P Hanan

Subject Overview 

The aim of the High School Art Department is to develop imagination, creativity, independence and resourcefulness in our pupils through the teaching and learning of a wide variety of practical and academic skills in the areas of art, craft, design and the history and appreciation of art. Our pupils have access to a range of Arts and Crafts media and there are unlimited opportunities to discover their potential in this subject. We prepare our pupils to embark on the multi-faceted career opportunities offered through engagement with Art, Craft and Design studies.  We aim to foster a lifelong appreciation of art and visual culture through practical art making and creativity and also through the study of art history. Pupils are encouraged to visit galleries, museums and to develop an awareness and enjoyment of the visual world around them. 

Junior Cycle

The Junior Cert Art Craft Design course is project based. Pupils will learn key skills in drawing and painting through investigation and observation of the world around them and through imaginative work. They will learn a variety of new crafts including ceramics, batik, printmaking, textiles and puppetry and will have access to a wide range of drawing and painting and 3-D media.  They will be introduced to art history and will learn to make links between their own work and that of other artists, designers and craft workers. They will learn how to work independently and be self motivated. They will also develop skills in time management and planning through individual, self led project work. Pupils are encouraged from first year to develop self awareness and critical thinking through assessment of their own work and group work. Click here to visit Junior Cycle Art curriculum.

A number of creative options are offered under the personal development and enrichment programmes in Transition Year. Art, Craft and Photography are offered as separate modular courses by the Art department. These courses offer pupils who are encountering arts and crafts for the first time an opportunity to develop their creative skills. It also offers an opportunity to test their aptitude for the subject before considering it for Leaving Certificate. Pupils who studied Art for Junior Cycle find that these courses offer the freedom to explore new skills and media without the constraints of an examination curriculum.

Personal skills developed through the Transition Year Art programmes include teamwork, imagination and creativity, problem solving, self-motivation, and organization. 

Art, Craft and Photography skills developed in Transition Year include Drawing, Oil Painting, Animation, Darkroom Photography, Digital Photography, Photoshop, Art Appreciation, Batik, Print making, Graphic Design, and Illustration. 

Senior Cycle

The Leaving Certificate Art curriculum consists of two main components – practical and written.

The practical component of the course develops pupils’ skills in drawing, design and craft. Pupils at The High School are encouraged to take advantage of the wide range of media and craft disciplines on offer to them in order to reach their full potential. Crafts on offer include Batik, Calligraphy, Fabric Printing, Lino Printing, Poster Design, Puppetry, Screen Printing and Weaving.

The written component of the curriculum focuses on History and Appreciation of Art, which accounts for 37.5% of the overall mark for Leaving Certificate. The History element covers Irish and European art history and the Appreciation section focuses on developing pupils’ awareness and appreciation of the world around them. It fosters an appreciation and understanding of product design, ergonomics, architecture and town planning, film and animation, public spaces and sculpture; and museums, galleries and interpretative centres. Throughout the course pupils are taken to galleries and museums and are encouraged visit galleries at home on a regular basis and abroad when the opportunity arises.

Click here to visit Senior Cycle Art curriculum.

 Career Opportunities

Additional information

The Art Department offers extra-curricular programmes in Portfolio Preparation and Photography.

Portfolio preparation 

This programme is available to Pupils in Senior Cycle who require portfolios for entry to third level. It focuses on the Art portfolio, including the brief for NCAD, but also caters for pupils requiring portfolios for architecture, product design, film, photography and animation. Our programme has had considerable success for our pupils gaining direct entry from school to their chosen courses.

Photography

The photography after-school club is open to pupils in both Junior and Senior cycles. Photography is also offered in Transition Year. Darkroom photography, animation and digital processing methods are all explored in the photography programme.