Visual Arts

2025 Future Choices Art Awards

The Visual Arts Department of Lyme-Old Lyme High School is happy to announce results from this year’s Future Choices Art Show sponsored by the Shoreline Arts Alliance.

A First Place award in Mixed Media was taken by senior Janna Graves for her piece “Boston Market.” Another First was awarded to senior Josie Small in Ceramics for her coil vase, while senior Nola Slubowski took Second in Drawing for “Light in the Glass” and Janna Graves took Third in Ceramics for “Self-Portrait in Alcove.”

Honorable Mentions were awarded to seniors Oliver Avelange (film), Gloria Conley (two in painting) and James Lahot Straub (drawing). Other students with works juried into the show included Sienna Bari, Claire Engdall, Angeline Gencarella, Sophia Shaposhnikova, Skylar Graybill, Tessa Grethel and Finch Nichols.

The exhibit runs March 28-April 11 and April 23-27 at Flat Rock Gallery, 314 Flat Rock Place in Westbrook (in the Westbrook Outlet Mall). Hours are Wednesday-Friday from 3-6 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 12:00-4 p.m.

Janna Graves "Boston Market"

Curriculum

Our visual arts curriculum is driven by the idea that capable drawing is the key to success in all areas of art and design, both 2- and 3-dimensional. We also believe that drawing is eminently teachable; that drawing skills are applicable to a large number of professions outside the art world; and that art appreciation is best encouraged, not by teaching children what art is, but by teaching them how to draw, paint and sculpt.

Elementary and Middle School

At the elementary and middle level, all of our schools have classrooms and teachers dedicated to art instruction. These teachers are all active artists outside the classroom, and the best work of their students is featured not only in house, but also during our annual district art show at the Lyme Academy. Working closely with their fellow teachers, our elementary teachers encourage art-making throughout the buildings and connect their lessons with the historical, scientific and cultural topics that students are encountering in academic classes. At the middle school, students begin to master art techniques and processes through rigorous instruction, perseverance, and attention to craftsmanship.

High School

The high school employs two full-time art teachers, one for drawing and painting and the other for ceramics, sculpture and digital design.

Art Instruction

Drawing

The drawing curriculum at Lyme-Old Lyme High School offers not only semester-long Introductory and advanced drawing classes, but also year-long offerings in ECE Drawing (Early College Experience, accredited by the University of Connecticut) and Advanced Placement Drawing, giving students an opportunity to study drawing for three full years. The focus here is on classical training, including human proportion and anatomy; the geometries of perspective, light and shade; copying from teacher demonstrations and master draftsmen; and crosshatching techniques.

Digital Art

In digital art we offer small classes in our Mac lab employing the latest technology, including the Adobe Creative Suite and 3D modeling software. This curriculum enjoys growing synergy with our excellent ceramics program: advanced students have the ability to design textures and forms digitally, 3D print models and stamps, and use them to help form work in clay. We also offer instruction in wheel-throwing, with eight potters wheels in frequent use throughout the day.

Painting

The High School’s painting program features master copying in water-soluble oil paints at the introductory level, followed by increasingly challenging still life and portrait assignments involving the use of an underpainting, also in oils.

Accolades

Our graduates win frequent accolades at the regional, state and national level, and have also earned generous scholarships for their portfolios from leading schools in art, architecture and design. We are passionate about what we do here, and will always make time to review portfolios and speak to prospective students and parents. We would love to show you what we do!

Josie Small "Coil Vase"

Nola Slubowski "Light in the Glass"

Janna Graves "Self-Portrait in Alcove"

2025 Connecticut Scholastic Art Awards

Six Lyme-Old Lyme High School students were recognized at this year’s Connecticut Scholastic Art Awards. Senior Janna Graves deserves special mention for receiving a Gold Key for her portfolio, “The Experience of the Mundane,” which earned her a scholarship offer from the University of Hartford. Janna also received a Gold Key and the “CAEA Best in Mixed Media” award for “Boston Market” and a Gold Key in Painting for her gouache, “Giant Shells or Tiny Bucket?” All of Janna’s work will go on to be juried at the national level.

Senior Gloria Conley was awarded a Silver Key for her painting “Choke,” while Senior Nola Slubowski earned a Silver Key in Drawing for “On the Edge of the Rim.” Another Silver Key in Drawing was taken by Junior Andrew Taylor for “Weston.”

Senior Oliver Avelange was recognized in the Portfolio category with an Honorable Mention, and Junior Max Bartlett earned an Honorable Mention in Drawing

Listed works will hang at the Silpe Gallery at the University of Hartford from January 13 through January 31, with an awards celebration scheduled for Sunday, January 26. Congratulations to all who participated!