Academics

Departments

Visual & Performing Arts

Main Number: (415) 334-0525   Fax Number: (415) 334-9726

Name/Title/Profile	E-mail	Ext.
Liz McAninch Department Chair/Teacher/Director of Drama Program MA, San Francisco State University California Teaching Credential MA, University of Illinois BA, Texas Tech University		x308
Gail Bennett Teacher/Photo Club Moderator/McAuley Art Gallery Coordinator BA, San Francisco State University Visit Ms. Bennett's Website		x312
Laura Flaviani Teacher/Mercy Chorus Director/Liturgical Music Director BA, San Francisco State University		x379
Janine Nolfi Teacher/Dance Program Director MA, San Francisco State University BA, San Francisco State University		x251
Pauline Scott Teacher/Anime Club Moderator BA, Kingston University-London Art Teacher Certificate, London University HDIPA Printmaking, Chelsea-London Visit Ms. Scott's Website		x340

 

Department Profile

Philosophy

To help the student to create herself, the Visual and Performing Arts Department seeks to provide an environment and a series of experiences for her to explore the sensory variety and riches of the visible and physical world: color, texture, light, sound, and movement; to relate these sensory experiences to our art heritage and to her own feelings and emotions through artistic processes; to develop her skills in artistic expression and her ability to synthesize materials, processes, and human values; to introduce her to knowledge about opportunities for careers in the arts.

 

Courses Offered

Beginning Art A & B

This foundation course establishes visual design and technical skill in traditional and non-traditional artistic processes. Various media explore free-hand drawing, perspective, line, value, texture, shape, space and color, and their application in the study of composition. References to western and non-western contemporary and historical art movements are included.

 

Intermediate Art

This course is designed to further develop the student’s visual design sensibilities and technical skill in traditional and non-traditional artistic processes. Various media and methods explore the application of paint in various painting styles and color mixing, value study, line, texture, shape, form, space, and their application to still-life, landscape, figure drawing, and portraiture. Students also participate in group critiques, view local art exhibits, and read literature pertaining to an artist or art movement. References to western and non-western contemporary and historical art movements are included.

 

Advanced Art

This course is designed for independent study focusing on a selection of artists or art movements. The students will work on projects in the style of a particular artist or art movement. Each student will contract with the instructor on an individual basis for each quarter’s projects. Students will be involved in writing up an individual contract, researching the artist or art movement, completing art projects in that particular style, evaluating their work and evaluating/critiquing other students’ art projects. Students also will keep a sketchbook of drawings/ideas, view art exhibits, read literature pertaining to an artist or art movement for class discussions, and participate in one or more large group projects determined by the instructor and students.

 

AP Studio Art – Drawing, 2D Design, or 3D Design

This course is for students who are ready for a college-level art experience. AP Studio Art is not based on a written examination; instead, students submit portfolios for evaluation at the end of the school year. The Drawing and 2D Design portfolios consist of five actual works and 24 slides of other works. The 3D Design portfolio consists of 38 slides of work. Each portfolio has three required sections: Quality, Concentration, and Breadth. Quality requires works that show a command of technique and advanced aesthetic sensitivity. Concentration requires that the student pursue a particular idea or issue. Breadth shows a wide range of subject matter—media, techniques, and aesthetic issues. Students will be expected to work on projects at home and an extra period at school, as well as the scheduled class time; e.g., one free period a week or time after school.

 

Beginning Ceramics A & B

This introductory course studies the nature of clay, the three basic hand building techniques (pinch, coil, and slab) and the preliminaries of the use of the potter’s wheel. Exploration of various cultures (American Indian, Japanese, Chinese, Middle Eastern, and Mexican) and their unique influences on ceramic art are incorporated into the framework of learning basic hand building techniques. Students also explore a variety of decorating ideas with engobes, underglazes, stains, and glazes. Historical and contemporary ceramic artists’ works are used as examples of construction and decorating.

 

Intermediate Ceramics

This course is designed to further develop the student’s visual design and technical skills in the area of ceramics. Various hand building and throwing techniques are more complex to build on their basic knowledge of working with clay. Continued exploration of various cultures (Japanese, Chinese, European, Middle Eastern, Greek, and Mexican) and their unique influences on ceramic art are incorporated into these more intricate projects. Students continue to explore decorating ideas with the use of carved surfaces, application of engobes, underglazes, stains, glazes, and application of different textures to the clay surface. Students also participate in group critiques, view local art exhibits, and read literature pertaining to a ceramic artist or art movement. References to western and non-western contemporary and historical ceramic art movements are included.

 

Advanced Ceramics

This course is designed for independent study in the area of ceramics. The students will work on projects in the style of a particular artist or art movement that was significant in the area of ceramics. Each student will contract with the instructor on an individual basis for each quarter’s projects. Students will be involved in writing up an individual contract, researching the artist or art movement, completing the ceramic projects in the particular style of the artist or art movement, evaluating their work as well as evaluating/critiquing other students’ ceramic projects. Students will keep a simple sketchbook or drawings/ideas for the ceramic projects, view ceramic art exhibits, read literature pertaining to an artist or art movement in the area of ceramics for class discussions, and possibly participate in one or more large group projects determined by the instructor and students.

 

Beginning Dance A & B

These courses introduce and reinforce the basic dance warm-up and technique exercises, which involve knowledge of feet and arm positions, body alignment and isolations. Floor stretch and barre work prepare the dancer’s body, which develop technique, thus enhancing choreography. Toward the end of the semester, students are prepared to create and perform their own choreography.

 

Intermediate & Advanced Dance

These courses continue to develop strength, flexibility, and technique at an accelerated pace, which challenges the dancers physically and mentally. Dance history, improvisation, and choreographic approaches are explored, which prepare the dancers to create more complex choreography. Simple dance notation is introduced, which provides the dancers with a memory of what they have created. Students create and rehearse choreography, which prepares them for performance at the annual Fine Arts Festival.

 

Dance Ensemble

In this course, students earn credit for rehearsals and performances in the Winter Dance Concert as well as at various performances in the San Francisco Bay Area. Students register for the course after going through the audition process and are accepted. Students may be members of the Dance Ensemble all four years at Mercy.

 

Acting Techniques A

Acting concepts are introduced through theatre games, improvisation, and group scenes. At the end of the semester, the class presents scenes in a public performance.

 

Acting Techniques B

This second level of an acting course includes scenes for video production and preparation of audition material, including a written resume. Group scenes are presented at the annual Fine Arts Festival.

 

Acting in Production

Students who audition and are cast in the fall play or spring musical enroll in this course. They learn role preparation, rehearsal procedure, and technical skills.

 

Theatre Production

Design and Technical Crew: Credit is earned by students who work behind the scenes on the fall and spring productions. They work on building sets, focusing lights, selecting and/or constructing costumes and props, and applying make up. All students may apply for a position on a tech crew.

 

Additional drama courses with prerequisites (available only to students in grades 10-12) include: Theatre Performance Workshop and Student Director

 

Mercy Chorus A & B

Mercy Chorus A is taught first semester, and Mercy Chorus B is taught second semester. These courses are open to all students. Students will study the fundamentals of reading music as well as acquire some basic singing skills. This is an acapella class that will concentrate on the origins of classical music. Students will perform for special school events. Students enrolled in Mercy Chorus B need to have completed Mercy Chorus A or have had other previous choral singing experience as approved by the instructor.

 

Concert Choir

Concert Choir is an acapella performance class. A wide array of classical music will be studied, and students will represent Mercy at musical festivals, competitions, and public performances. The prerequisite for this class is to pass an audition. Note: this class may be repeated.

Students on Academic Probationary Support may not take this class.

 

Musical Theatre Workshop

This course provides an introduction to American musical theater. Students learn a wide range of songs from 20th Century musicals as well as act scenes from well-known shows. By the end of the semester, each student will have a well-prepared musical number and an acting monologue ready for performance.