At Buckley, visual arts students develop the skills to bring their ideas to life and connect with visual media. Through drawing, painting, photography, printmaking, ceramics, sculpture, and metalwork, students explore themselves and the world around them.
The Art Gallery
"Art is an emotional immune system."
- Lynda Barry
Visual Art Courses
Visual Art courses include beginning, intermediate and advanced levels in
- Ceramics
- Drawing and Painting
- Graphic Design
- Photography
- Sculpture
Advanced Studies in Art
Senior Thesis portfolios offer an opportunity to achieve their artistic vision in any medium. Rising seniors apply with a description of their thesis project in design, fine art, photography, or sculpture. Advanced Studies in Art History looks at painting, design, installation, sculpture, and architecture through diverse cultures and methodologies.
Continuing in the Arts
In recent years, our students have matriculated to the following art programs:
- California Institute of the Arts (Cal Arts)
- Chapman University (Dodge Film School and Wilkinson for graphic design)
- Chicago Art Institute
- New York University (Tisch School of the Arts)
- Parsons School of Design (New York and Paris)
- Pratt Institute
- Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)
- University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
- University of Southern California (USC) - School of Cinematic Arts and the Roski School of Art and Design
Arts Facilities
The Ellen Mahoney Visual Arts Studios: Middle and Upper School visual arts students take classes in three adjacent studios for darkroom and digital photography, drawing and painting, and three-dimensional art.
The Lower School art studio was recently renovated and includes a patio for outdoor work.
Oxford Comma
The Oxford Comma is Buckley's literary and arts journal, launched in January. The issue features original poetry, fiction, non-fiction, photography, and art submitted by students.
Access the latest issue below.
Awards and Accolades
Buckley School students are proud to be the recipients of the following arts awards:
- The Drexel Photography High School Contest juried exhibition
- National Gold Scholastic Art Awards in photography and drawing
- Creative Ticket Schools of Excellence Awards for California from the Kennedy Center for outstanding achievement in visual and performing arts education
- Bravo Award from the Music Center for innovation and creativity in visual and performing arts education
- Scholastic Art, National Silver Awards – in graphic design and printmaking
- Scholastic Art Regional Awards – golds, silvers, and honorable mentions in drawing, painting, mixed-media, printmaking, video , ceramics, glass, jewelry, photography, graphic design, sculpture, computer art
- Spotlight Awards from the Music Center – semi-finalist in photography, drawing
- Shaped Clay – national ceramic exhibition at Syracuse University
- National K12 Ceramic Exhibition