Visual Arts
Throughout their experience at Santa Catalina, students learn to see themselves as artists and create polished work. In our bright and airy art studio, they explore and experiment with a wide variety of media, such as drawing, painting, ceramics, sculpture, collage, printing, fiber arts, and architecture.
Student artwork from every grade is featured in our rotating Art Salon. The pieces on display explore a common theme—such as the ocean and space—and reflect a full range of artistic expression. In addition, each student contributes to a large collaborative work that serves as the exhibit centerpiece.
Three Themes
The arts curriculum is organized around three themes.
- Creating Art: From day one, our students create and explore. Art courses are designed in sequence so students can build confidence and mastery of each process.
- Looking at Art: Students learn to identify art from different movements and to recognize beauty both in nature and in the constructed environment.
- Living with Art: Art classes help students understand what role art has played in history, as they study styles ranging from ancient Asian cultures to modern American art.
Performing Arts
At Santa Catalina, performing is a way of life, right from the start. Young students experience music in a play-based setting, which fosters creativity and a love of music at an early age. Lower School students learn rhythm and pitch through folk songs, dances, and body percussion. Middle School students grow as singers, improvisers, and members of an ensemble.
In choral, instrumental, and solo performances, all students showcase their musical abilities in concerts, assemblies, and plays throughout the year. Performances include:
- Christmas and spring concerts
- PreK and Kindergarten Christmas plays
- Special assemblies for Veterans Day and Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- Private music lesson recitals
- Class presentations during weekly assemblies
Singing traditional music to contemporary hits, our glee clubs perform both on campus and in the community. Students sing at special events such as the Flag Raising Ceremony and our annual benefit celebration.
Our instrumental music program boasts 40 Orff instruments along with handbells, recorders, and ukuleles.
Students in Grades 1 through 8 can take private voice or instrumental music lessons during the school day, leaving after-school time free for sports and clubs. The school has six practice studios equipped with Steinway pianos, and lessons are led by experienced musicians and teachers from the Central Coast area.