Dash Swani
Visual Arts Educator
As a Visual Arts Educator, my focus is on equipping students with a strong foundation in artistic skills and techniques. Through structured instruction and hands-on practice, I guide students in mastering fundamental and advanced methods, enabling them to create with confidence and precision. My teaching approach emphasizes technical proficiency, attention to detail, and disciplined practice—ensuring that students build the necessary skills to execute their artistic vision with accuracy. This space showcases their dedication and growth, reflecting their command of various artistic techniques and mediums.
students explored the work of Georgia O’Keeffe while mastering both additive and subtractive drawing techniques. They studied the element of art, Value, learning how to create a full range of light and dark tones using graphite pencils. In their additive drawings, students built up values with graphite, while in their subtractive drawings, they applied the technique of Chiaroscuro—an Italian term meaning 'light-dark'—to carve out highlights and midtones using an eraser on charcoal. Through these processes, students skillfully captured the interplay between light and shadow, creating depth and contrast in their compositions.
Students explored the work of Georgia O’Keeffe while mastering advanced colored pencil techniques. They studied the element of art, Color, learning how to create smooth transitions and rich textures through blending, burnishing, and layering. Drawing inspiration from O’Keeffe’s iconic compositions, students applied these techniques to craft vibrant and expressive artworks. Through their dedication to detail and color, they captured the essence of their subjects, demonstrating a refined understanding of composition and artistic technique.
Visual Art Students completed their Still Life Drawing Unit where they learned the fundaments of creating value using graphite and micron pens. They studied the artist Paulette Tavormina who is a still life photographer best known for her series, Natura Morta, which features imagery inspired by 17th Century Dutch, Spanish, and Italian Still Life painters.
Exploring identity through self-portraits: My middle school artists showcase their mastery of the Element of Art ‘Value' in these stunning self-portraits. Their work shows great brush control, understanding and demonstration of tints, and weaving.
