The Visual Art program at Coral Reef High School is a college preparatory program designed for highly motivated, talented students interested in a challenging program of in-depth visual studies.

Program applicants present a portfolio of independent artwork for review and participate in an

admissions workshop session where they solve visual problems in drawing, composition, use of color

and development of form. The artwork is evaluated using a standard rubric. The portfolio is reviewed for

the quality of the independent creative activity, manual and technical skill, and objective drawing ability.

The 9th and 10th grades are considered foundation years. Students are exposed to a wide range of image forming processes and art concepts. Drawing, color studies, painting, relief printmaking, sculpture at

various scales are all explored. At the end of this period the student has compiled a portfolio of

considerable breadth and is capable of independent visual exploration.

The last two years are devoted to the development of a coherent body of independent artwork.

Students’ research, develop and refine a body of expressive artwork based upon a visual theme of

personal importance. Portfolio development is reviewed quarterly at all levels.

Visual Arts students exhibit artwork on-campus at the school’s gallery and off-campus at professional art

shows and galleries. They also exhibit in district-sponsored exhibitions. They successfully compete for

national honors in such competitions as the Scholastics Art and Writing competition and the YoungArts

competition.

The Visual Art program at Coral reef High School has a national reputation for developing students who

are intellectually and artistically qualified for advanced work in the visual arts. Professional schools of art

and design regularly select our students for their programs in the fine and applied arts. Many of our

program graduates are now pursuing careers in visual art or design.