Art Department

Welcome to the Shoreham-Wading River Art Department website. This site will provide the students, their families, and the community a greater understanding and awareness of the art program in our schools. Included are links to the various art programs found at each building, links to local, state, and national organizations and affiliates, artwork by the students, special recognition and acknowledgments of award-winning art work, and a districtwide calendar listing various art festivals and events that take place throughout the school year. We hope that you find this website informative, as well as a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the exceptional talents of our students.

Art News

WADING RIVER SCHOOL EVENING OF THE ARTS - VIRTUAL ART SHOW

Click here to view the presentation!

"Our young artists at Wading River School have been creating amazing artwork all year long and have continued to do so at home. Our art is inspired by the world around us, and our world is inspired by the vibrant spirit of our children. Our collaborative project this year was inspired by artist Keith Haring and a quote by the Kid President, "Give the World a Reason to Dance!". Especially in uncertain times like these, the unfailing energy and resilience of our students, gives us hope for the future. I miss you all, so very much! Keep smiling, creating and dancing!!"

- Ms. Petruzzellis

SENIOR DESIGNS POSTER CAMPAIGN

SWR High School senior Brooke Roff took part in a precollege intensive course through Parsons School of Design where she created a set of posters to promote a topic of her choosing. Brooke chose to focus on anxiety awareness. She designed three posters digitally and showed them to art teacher Ms. Samantha Shepard, who thought it was a great idea to have them hung in the high school guidance office

Her three pieces, “It’s Okay to Not Be Okay,” “It’s Okay to Accept Help” and “It’s Okay to Have Anxiety,” proudly hang in the hallway of the guidance office as a graphically creative reminder to her peers who can recognize they are not alone in their feelings.

“Anxiety is not just being nervous or being nitpicky,” Brooke said. “It can manifest through panic attacks or the constant worry that you are not good enough. Anxiety comes in many different ways, but it is best to accept yourself as you are with the help of others. I wanted to portray that through this poster campaign.”

STUDENT-ARTISTS INSPIRED BY LITERATURE

After hearing Beth Ferry’s autumn-themed “The Scarecrow,” Miller Avenue second graders discussed what scarecrows are used for, what they are made of, what they look like and more with art teacher Daria Browne.

“We talked about where scarecrows could be and what types of things, people or animals might be around them,” Browne said, before the students embarked on a watercolor project with a scarecrow as the centerpiece of their creations. First grade artists also gained a better understanding of color-related concepts through a watercolor project. The students looked at paintings of apples by artists such as Matisse and Cezanne.

“We looked at some fake fruit and observed the mixture of colors in each apple and discussed the size and shape of them and how all apples are slightly different,” Browne said. They also talked about still-life paintings and discussed why many artists painted apples, exploring lighting and how light can cast shadows on one side of an object.

CULTIVATING CREATIVITY FOR HIGH SCHOOL ART STUDENTS

SWR High School students experienced a visual feast when they visited LIU Post’s Brookville campus for a day of artistic inspiration. Accompanied by art teacher Mr. Jason Andria, students from the AP Studio Art and Drawing and Painting classes started their day meeting with LIU art chairperson Winn Rea for a grand tour of the various art buildings, including artist studios, state-of-the-art 3D printing workshop, woodshop, sculpture studio and much more. Students met a few LIU student-artists to discuss their work in depth. They also met Shoreham-Wading River Class of 2019 graduate Alexandria Smith and viewed works of Shoreham-Wading River alumni Anna Baumeister and Alexander Tonetti, which were featured at the student gallery’s Advanced Visions AP art show. The group culminated their visit at the university’s Steinberg Museum of Art, where they participated in a guided tour of the current exhibition on 1980s poster art. “We were also able to view the museum’s permanent collection in their ‘visible storage suite,’ which boasts over 4,000 art objects,” Mr. Andria said.

INSPIRING WADING RIVER ARTISTS!

Students in Wading River School’s new art club share their festive fall creations! Thank you to adviser Ms. Rose Petruzzellis for leading our talented artists on this new venture as the District continues to enhance its Fine Arts program.

WILDCATS HELPING ART AND MUSIC

Congratulations to all of our creative and talented Fine Arts students who were recognized at the First Wildcats Helping Art and Music Fine Arts Banquet. A special thanks to the WHAM Booster Club for recognizing the accomplishments of our art, music and theater students and for creating this festive event with scholarships and special recognitions that were presented to graduating seniors.