Welcome to Hamilton ArtLab
The vision for ArtLab at Hamilton Elementary Fine and Performing Arts School is to provide visual art instruction that will nurture curiosity, creativity, critical thinking, cultural awareness, and self-expression while developing a lasting appreciation for visual art in every student.
Work on this program and the design of each lesson is ongoing and care is being taken to tie much of the instruction to our K-8 literacy curriculum which incorporates the study of Visual Art alongside literature.
Our goal is to make deep level knowledge accessible to all students by reinforcing the themes and ideas they learn in their texts through visual art discussion and application.
The priorities for ArtLab are centered in harnessing the creative resources of our community, bringing robust and dynamic visual art experiences to our students, and showcasing their talents.
ArtLab is not just a program; it's a vibrant movement that gives our students the creative space for their imaginations to truly flourish.
We look forward to harnessing the energy of this work and welcoming our parent community and members of the public to see exactly what the students at the premier Fine and Performing Arts public school in Chicago’s West Lakeview Neighborhood are capable of. This is how we fulfill our mission and show our students that their city is their canvas.
Fall & Spring ArtLab Show
This year our students will have the opportunity to curate and showcase their work. The fall show will feature pieces centered around a school-wide theme and in the spring our exhibit will feature globally inspired projects as our students explore cultural diversity through visual art.
Welcome to The ArtLab
Art is meant to be messy and we will be creating a home for all the different formats of visual art at Hamilton. Our supplies and materials, construction tools, digital cameras, Macs, and more will be accessible to students and utilized regularly. ArtLab is the name of our movement, The ArtLab is the space our students will use to bring it to life.
Exploring Materials
This year our students will be exploring drawing, painting, sculpture, fabric arts, mixed media, digital art, and art history. They will be introduced to a variety of styles and art periods ranging from classics to contemporary as we widen their Visual Art knowledge to include the language of art as well.
Art Outside Our Walls
Over the course of the year students in each grade level will experience neighborhood murals, sculptures, and other public art across the city. Students will learn art etiquette, the language of art critique, and will have the opportunity to visit and explore gallery or museum curations.
Fine & Performing Arts Advisory Board
The Fine & Performing Arts Advisory Board is a committee composed of administration, staff, parents, and community members that work together to foster The Arts at Hamilton. A subset of that committee is the Visual Art Focus Group and this group is dedicated to organizing the scope and sequence of visual art instruction.
ArtLab Volunteers
A pillar at Hamilton is collaboration and we prioritize opportunities throughout the building whenever we can. Visual Art in itself creates community and communities are connected through art. We will not be able to do the ambitious things we want to do without the support and resources of the people in our community. As of now we are all set with volunteers, but we will have additional volunteer opportunities leading up to our Fall and Spring Art shows!
