Studio Art

Our studio art program offers courses in drawing, painting, and multimedia to students at all levels of expertise. Students who complete introductory coursework in drawing and painting may choose to further their study of that discipline by “majoring” in studio art in the senior year. Majors take a full-credit Advanced Study course during the senior year that requires extensive, independent work and artistic production outside the classroom, with a goal of building an individual portfolio of ambitious original work.

In each fine arts discipline we teach, students are introduced to the core elements of the given language, and guided through a series of exercises that ensure them a basic fluency. We believe that any student can achieve this modest goal, regardless of prior experience or natural facility. Once our students have developed a familiarity with the building blocks of a visual art form, they are encouraged to embrace the process of gaining technical mastery, and to risk experimentation that might take them outside of their comfort zones. Each course is designed to offer progressively more challenging projects, with room for individual interpretation, so that both the beginning and experienced artist will find a tempo that both suits and challenges them.

Art history is also a key component to our studio arts curriculum. We ask arts students to constantly engage with images and art from different cultures and understand the historical context from which a particular art form or style emerged.

The O'Brien Arts Center is home to the Warner Gallery, which holds student exhibitions three times a year, and visiting artist exhibitions four times per year. These visiting artist exhibitions give students a chance to interact with professional artists and to witness the ways in which the artistic disciplines we teach in our classrooms can be pursued in the wider world. When combined with close contact with established St. Andrew's faculty artists who are continually pursuing their own artistic practices, our intensive visual arts training allows the student grow in her artistic understanding, creative capabilities, and tendency toward free expression. Our master-apprentice teaching model for the visual arts allows our students to gain a strong sense of the arts as a means for investigating and celebrating the world in which they live.

Studio Art Courses

Drawing 1

Semester-Long
Studio Art
Visual Arts

Payson Art History Lecture

The Payson Art History Lecture series brings a notable art historian to campus every other year, and in alternate years supports the installation of an exhibition by a visiting artist in the Warner Gallery. The Payson Art History Lecture was established in 2005 by Joanne and John Whitney Payson, in honor of John’s mother Joan Whitney Payson, and to celebrate the graduation of their daughter Joan ’05 from St. Andrew’s. Recent lecturers have included Victoria Wyeth (2024), Sarah Meister (2022), and Alexander Nemerov (2020).

Student Galleries

2020-21

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Painting

Photo

2019-20

2020 Visual Arts Galleries

Art Majors

Caitlin Shipley ’20 - Photo Major

Over this past year, I was very much drawn to the past and the difference in time periods. For my first project this year, which was shown at Parents Weekend, my collection gave off the vibe that it was taken on an older film camera and was a collection of photos of places that I have grown up with. My second major project was for the Winter Gallery Opening and I was inspired by the ’50s and ’60s. That probably had to be the biggest and most challenging project because it was shot in a studio with many models for the project. In the end, I loved how the photos turned out.

For this final project, I was inspired by the Lumineers "III" album and the way that it focused on people,
buildings, and stories from forgotten and abandoned towns. This wasn’t my original idea for my final
photo project and to be honest, I wasn’t sure how these photos were going to turn out, but in the end, I’m
glad that my idea changed. I have always loved history and learning about history so when my dad said
that he was going to take me on a “tour” of hidden places in the county that we live in, I was all for it. It
all started as a way to get me out of the house before the “stay at home” order was put in place. This
collection of photos is a collection of old, abandoned, and forgotten houses, barns, and other places that
are tucked away from the rest of the public or are not as obvious to the eye. What I like about these photos
and how they turned out is that when you look at the photos, you are immediately taken to the past and
can create a story right then and there.

I hope that you can create your own story from this collection of photos and jump back into the past!

Caitlin Shipley ’20 - Photo Major

Aubrey Malloy ’20 - Art Major

Throughout my entire arts career at St. Andrew’s, the majority of artwork I have made is oil paint on large canvases. I’ve always felt more comfortable with large work spaces; however, since Spring Break began, I’ve embarked on a new challenge involving tiny canvases and acrylic paint. My series for this Arts Weekend is entirely painted on footwear. This series has allowed me to focus on smaller details and intricacy in a way like never before. I have learned to appreciate each brush stroke because on such a small canvas, every drop of paint has a purpose. Furthermore, the amount of patience I have gained from this project is immense. Moving forward from this series, I hope to keep that same intensity and intricacy even when working on larger pieces.

Spring Sports: Where Saints Are, And Where They're Going

An undefeated boys lacrosse team. Back-to-back shutouts for girls soccer. Legacy-making regattas on the horizon: Spring at St. Andrew’s is officially underway, and our athletes have no intention of slowing down! Here’s what athletes and coaches had to say about their spring varsity teams.

Girls Soccer
After making it to the second round of the DIAA Girls Soccer State Tournament last spring, the 2026 Saints are hungry for more. Head coach Megan Altig believes that her team has what it takes to improve and achieve their big goals this season. “If we’re able to focus on all of the little things during practice, the success will follow because we have a great team of girls,” she says. The Saints look forward to the rest of their season after a promising 3-1-1 start, which included two back-to-back shoutouts the first week of April against Tatnall and Tower Hill.
MATCH TO WATCH: On May 5, the Saints look to avenge their 2025 state tournament loss to Caravel when they face the Buccaneers at home at 3 p.m.

Boys Crew
Nothing quite indicates the start of spring at SAS like the sound of crew boats on Noxontown Pond. The boys team is ready to shine as they return to the water. Senior Captain Drew Merriman ’26 is excited about the opportunity to race against some of the best teams in the country. “As a program, our goal this year is to put out strong and competitive boats that can rival some of the larger programs we race with both determination and grit,” he says. With a new coach in Will Scully and a talented young roster, the Saints are excited to experience a new era of SAS rowing.
REGATTA TO WATCH: Save the date for the May 3 WMIRA Championship on the Occoquan River in Virginia, where the Saints will race their biggest rivals for the conference title.

Girls Crew
On the other side of the boathouse, girls crew has headed into the season with confidence and excitement. With a talented roster and a competitive regatta schedule, there is so much for the Saints to look forward to, says Senior Captain Ines Kossick ’26. She cites the team’s close-knit culture and comradery as the key to success this season. “This year I feel like we're a lot more together as a team, partly because there are eight seniors who have been rowing together for all four years,” she says. “There is a ton of leadership and experience to help us find success on the water.”
REGATTA TO WATCH: The “Super Bowl” for high school crew, the girls can’t wait to get to the Stotesbury Regatta in Philadelphia on May 15th and 16th, where they’ll line up against the best teams in the nation.

Boys Lacrosse
The boys team has come scorching into the season, posting a 5-0 record. They’ve been dominating on both sides of the field, establishing themselves as one of the strongest teams in the state. “I think this is the best team that St. Andrew’s has had in a long time,” says Senior Captain Thomas White ’26. “I think I’m speaking for the whole team when I say that we can at least make a run in the state tournament. And I think that we are holding ourselves to that standard as well because we know we are capable of it.”
GAME TO WATCH: Look out for the Saints’ upcoming game against Christchurch School on Friday, April 10th—should make for a gritty matchup!

Girls Lacrosse
The team, off to a 2-3 start, looks to make a statement this season. After their thrilling run in the DIAA Girls Lacrosse State Tournament last spring, the girls are hoping to return even stronger. According to Senior Captain Claire Hulsey ’26, the success of the team will be based on the girls working on and off the field together. “What’s special about this team is that we have members from every grade competing together,” she says. “We’ve been able to form bonds with one another and build a sense of community within the team.”
GAME TO WATCH: The girls can’t wait for 4 p.m. on April 14, when they face Wilmington Friends School at home—they have some unfinished business after Friends beat them in overtime last season.

Boys Tennis
After an impressive performance in the DIAA Boys Tennis State Tournament last year, the Saints (2-1) are hoping to do it again. Members of the team are committed to growth and sportsmanship in order to be the best team possible, says senior Bradley Cook ’26. “The camaraderie of this team is so special as we treat each other with respect, regardless of our age and skillsets,” he says. “This allows us to form really tight bonds and relationships with one another.”
MATCH TO WATCH: April 13, home, against Tower Hill: be there!

Girls Tennis
It’s an exciting time for girls tennis—off to a 1-1 start—a team that posts an almost entirely new roster this season. The new senior captains, Brooke Simonsen ’26 and Enid Appiah ’26, have made it their mission to bring energy and support to the newcomers on the team, and Head Coach Gabe Perla is excited to work with a new group of athletes. “We did some goal-setting, making a covenant for our team … There were three main goals we were driving for: working hard, teammanship, and being a team, even though sometimes tennis can be more of an individual sport,” he says.
MATCH TO WATCH: The team was excited to face down Tatnall on April 7 for their first home match, which they won, 5-0.

Baseball
The baseball season is back in full swing, and this squad is ready to take care of business. With a 3-2 record that includes some demonstrative victories, the team is focused on making the most out of every moment on the diamond. Assistant Coach David Miller says he’s looking forward to working with the team leaders to inspire the newest members of Saints baseball. “We’re hoping to capitalize on the really great growth that the senior class has experienced during their careers and impart that same culture and momentum to the younger players,” he says.
GAME TO WATCH: The Saints are hype to host Sanford School on April 16th, whom they beat in a thrilling 6-5 home game last year.

For updates on all-things Saints Athletics, bookmark sas-saints.com!

Camille Strand ’20 - Art Major

Towards the end of last year I really enjoyed making slab-rolled pieces but never got the chance to fully flesh out my ideas. This year I concentrated on that form of ceramics exclusively. The collection of slab pieces have echoes of the source of my inspiration—nature—while also adding some geometric elements to it. I sadly didn’t get to create every piece I wanted to due to a number of circumstances, but I hope you all enjoy!

Campbell Nicholson ’20 - Art Major

For this series I wanted to explore emotion in visual art aligned with color and composition. All of these pieces are done with oil paint on canvas. For the first two in the series I focused on love and anger, whereas the third was a more personal reflection on the meaning of bittersweet. This was not my original plan, but quarantine pushed me to explore my feelings on leaving St. Andrew’s. Although the third painting doesn’t quite fit "nicely" next to the other two, I am very happy with all the experiences I had while painting them.

Georgina Ohrstrom ’20 - Art Major

Throughout this year I have made art that is related to my personal experience. My images are memories that bring me joy. Each piece shows a certain part of my identity. One is an image that reminds me of family, the Degas dancers because I have always found them elegant and calming, and finally the dragons because of my love of the mythical and mysterious. These are just some of the things that I find beautiful and that I have enjoyed creating in my own personal way.

Ginger Mullins ’20 - Art Major

In my independent project, I wanted to explore the feelings that are associated with places and the notion of home. These three houses are places that I’ve spent many holidays and places where I have made important memories through my life. In these works I wanted them to evoke the feelings I feel when I think of these places, rather than a carbon copy of the image of that place. The experience of working on these pieces overall was very exciting and fulfilling, and it was nice to explore the notion of home as I move on to college.

PS: A huge thank you to Mr. Westman for taking photos of my pieces that were stuck at school!!

Ingrid Hoopes ’20 - Art Majors

For this series, I wanted to create pieces that were a connection and representation of my entire life. I have lived in a couple of very different places and I wanted to showcase that through my homes. These include houses from Delaware all the way to the camper van I lived in when I was in New Zealand. I used oil paint and a lot of texture to give as much life as I could to these paintings.

Karen Paredes ’20 - Art Major

Going into the second semester, I knew that I wanted to get back into portrait art. Last year, I had initially thought the process with my charcoal drawing was going to be difficult and disappointing. However, the end result and the many weeks I spent on it caused me to truly appreciate the process and gave me more confidence in my abilities to pull off something that I thought was too hard for me. This year in particular, I also grew to have an appreciation for bright colors. While oil paint was not my favorite choice of medium since it did not give me the opportunity for small details like charcoal could give me, the way in which it presents itself on the canvas is unlike any other. Thus, I decided to take a slightly different route and use chalk pastel and watercolor as the mediums for my portraits. This allowed me to focus on the small yet important detailing while still bringing color to the page.

Lilly Howard ’20 - Art Major

My goal for this project is to show the beautiful rawness of human connection with yourself, the people you love, and nature through art. Human relationships and nature are some of the most important things to me in the world. These are the things that help us come alive. Like a flower, or a tree, life has growing stages, and they are not always pretty. My goal with this project is to express the raw beauty of the human soul through art. Art makes me feel the way I feel when I am in nature being present and lost in what I am looking at at the same time. They are both beautiful creations, like the human body.

Miles Abney ’20 - Art Major

My grandmother’s green car was passed down to me when I was 16 and she had become too weak to drive it. I was beyond excited to have a car, regardless of its unique color. I totaled the car the summer before my junior year, which was a particularly difficult moment as it took place only a few years after her passing. I hadn’t realized how special she was to me until she was gone, and, once the car was gone too, it felt like I had lost a large part of my connection to her as well. Less than a year before she passed I lost my uncle, making the year particularly hard for my mom's side of the family. The car, my uncle, and my grandmother mean the world to me and to my family, which is why I have chosen to explore these events in my life through art. Although these moments have been sad and painful, the joy and hope we have found since has taught me a lot and exploring them artistically has helped me better understand my feelings and channel them in a positive way.

Spencer McKenzie ’20 - Art Major

This collection of pieces is really special to me, not because they are the prettiest or most technically correct. I would say they are very far from it. However, they are special to me because they were the first pieces that I created without the guidance of my mentor, teacher, and friend Mrs. Elizabeth McGiff. I dedicate this collection to her because they represent a culmination of everything that Mrs. McGiff strove to teach me. In making this collection I took risks with shape and color, I challenged myself, I faced difficulties with the ceramic process (kilns are so hard to use), I fell out of love with ceramics, I went back to the basics, I asked for critical advice, I failed, succeeded, and failed again. It is common for people to look at a piece of ceramic art and deem it to be simple and, therefore, somehow less impressive; however, this process proves that it is anything but simple. Despite this artistic process has been grueling, frustrating, and upsetting, it was also fun, enlightening, and gratifying. Looking back, I would not have wanted to change a single step of it.

Yuhan Wu ’20 - Art Major

For my past drawings, I always focused on a snapshot or a specific, static moment of a story. So for this independent project, I wanted to try something different by telling a continuous story, and I chose to tell my own story. During the first eighteen years of my life, my family moved a lot, and I changed many schools. Every place I’ve been to is special to me, so I chose the places that are the most significant to me to put them on canvas. The first place is the park right across from my home when I was in elementary school. I went there with my parents and friends almost every day. The second place is my middle school; I was there for only two years, but I made some of my best friends till today. I tried to use different colors for the trees to represent the timeline. The yellow in the first painting represents my time in elementary school when I was childish and carefree. The second painting has orange and red trees because the colors show my excitement and growth. It was my first time trying oil painting; it was challenging, yet it was interesting to work with the combination of oil painting and pencil drawing. I was going to continue with this combination for the next places. Although I couldn’t finish this series the way I wanted to, I’m still continuing to draw the next places with watercolor.