Middle School After-School Co-Curricular: Cultivating Art Patrons

KO Middle School’s Co-Curricular Studio Art program, led by Katherine Nicholson, is bringing a new kind of creative energy to campus. It offers a space where Middle School artists can explore, create, and connect through hands-on experiences in and beyond the classroom.

My job as a Middle School art teacher,” Nicholson said, “is to plant the seed of creativity, plant the seed that everybody can make something. I want them to go and enjoy places that are creative. I’m building art lookers, patrons, who enjoy going to museums.”

Nicholson explains that the program was designed to mirror the Upper School’s strong creative offerings, giving Middle Schoolers an “alternative space for kids that are not athletes—students who are artists and other creative thinkers.” With support from Middle School Head Ann Sciglimpaglia and Director of Athletics Josh Balabach, the Middle School now boasts a vibrant sequence of creative opportunities: a musical in the spring, a choreographer dance program in the winter, and now, this new art course in the fall.

Currently, eight students are enrolled, allowing for a small, focused studio environment. “It’s a nice size,” Nicholson says. “I hope to grow it a little bit.”

The curriculum blends art-making with real-world exploration. Students have visited The Wadsworth Atheneum, where Nicholson served as their docent, reading the labels that accompanied each art piece. Nicholson gave the students the freedom to explore parts of the museum that moved them rather than holding to a specific itinerary. “There’s no agenda,” she said. “The students just enjoyed the art and walked around. The students explored the Egyptian Room, paying particular attention to the mummy. They were also captivated by a Persian calligraphy installation and the marble statues.

The students also visited Real Art Ways, a contemporary art gallery. There, students met the curator and discussed three exhibitions, from intimate pencil drawings to bold, abstract works. “It was perfect,” Nicholson reflects. “After looking closely at soft, detailed drawings, they experienced big color and movement—and then got to interact with an installation.” For the art installation whose conceptt was the weather and how we engage with it, the students had to sweep leaves into a tornado.

Through these experiences, students are not only learning techniques but also developing as thoughtful observers. “I want them to know that art is about making ideas as well as visuals. Art making is more than just something beautiful.  I want the creative students to know there is a niche for them. They need to know there’s a place in the world for them.”

With community partnerships, museum visits, and studio projects, KO’s co-curricular art program is proving that creativity deserves a prominent place alongside academics and athletics.