Archdiocese schools celebrate fine arts with unique programs

Many consider art to be one of the purest expressions of the human condition. For Baltimore Catholic schools, creating artwork, music and theater can play a key role in the intellectual and spiritual development of a student. Fine art programs provide creatively inclined students with the opportunity to learn about art, instilling a lasting appreciation for diverse disciplines.

Senior Braeden Healy works on a sketch during Calvert Hall College High School’s Visual Arts Program. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

At Mount de Sales Academy in Catonsville, the Dance Program serves as a platform for students to explore fundamental movement principles. Anchored in a classical approach, the program accommodates varying experience levels, fostering confidence and creating opportunities for musicals and showcases. Angela Romeo, the program’s director, highlights its inclusive nature, enabling students to uncover their talents and convey emotions through artistic expression.

Calvert Hall College High School’s Visual Arts Program offers an active space for students to delve into diverse artistic disciplines. Led by Art Director Jim Doyle, who boasts more than 12 years of experience, the program prioritizes instilling a genuine love for art.

St. John’s Catholic Prep in Buckeystown features a dynamic sculpture class, combining wheel-thrown and hand-built techniques to explore three-dimensional design. Visual arts teacher Bernadette Miller’s approach emphasizes student choice and integrates faith-based elements, creating an open environment for individual expression.

Bishop Walsh School in Cumberland offers Spartan Theater as a cornerstone in the school’s commitment to nurturing a lifelong passion for theater. Directed by Andrea Beall, the theater showcases diverse talents in productions ranging from classics to contemporary pieces.

These high school arts programs help shape a culturally enriched experience for students, offering opportunities for exploration, expression and appreciation across various artistic disciplines. Each program actively promotes the holistic development of students, emphasizing inclusivity and nurturing a lasting passion for the arts.

Bishop Walsh School Theater

Bishop Walsh High School production of Frozen, Jr. (Courtesy Bishop Walsh High School)

Bishop Walsh Spartan Theater stands as a key element of the school’s commitment to nurturing a lifelong passion for the evolving art of theater. Guided by Director Andrea Beall, the theater showcases the diverse talents of students through productions such as “Guys and Dolls,” “Carousel,” “Wizard of Oz,” “Footloose,” “Grease,” “Bye Bye Birdie,” and Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast.” The Spartan Theater encourages all students to participate and showcase their unique talents, embracing and welcoming students from all walks of high school life – from school athletes, to singers and dancers.

Encore, a parent group, supports the theater with resources and fundraising – including the annual spring musical, ads in the programs, Not So Spooky Ghost Tours, a Middle School Christmas Show, and donations – underscoring the collaborative effort sustaining the theater environment.

A significant production in the theater’s recent repertoire was the 2022 presentation of “Frozen Jr.,” a musical adaptation based on the top-grossing Disney animated film. Tailored for young performers, the production featured familiar “Frozen” songs, such as “Love is an Open Door,” “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” and “Let It Go.”

Spartan Theater reflects the school’s commitment to providing engaging and enjoyable performances, enriching the school community’s cultural experience.

St. John’s Sculpture Class

St. John’s Catholic Prep provides a dynamic sculpture course limited to 12 students, fostering a focus on creativity and craftsmanship.

St. John’s Catholic Prep senior Brianna Russell says ceramic making is a gift from God that should be shared and it is also an opportunity for her to destress from a demanding academic schedule. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

“I believe in student choice. The students are always allowed to show their own individuality through their art,” Bernadette Miller said.

The ceramics studio, funded through donations, supports diverse projects, from coil pots to seasonally themed creations such as Christmas trees and pumpkins. Miller, primarily instructing juniors and seniors, integrates a faith-based approach, involving students in competitions, Christmas card creation, and contributing to the school’s artwork. She provides an open environment, stating, “I don’t give them specific, necessarily guidelines all the time, allowing their creativity to come through especially.”

Brianna Russell, a parishioner of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Sykesville and a senior at St. John’s, says sculpting for her evolved from a hobby to a passion. Applying skills learned in art, including patience and adaptability, sculpture helped her navigate life’s challenges, “I just really enjoyed making cool stuff, and the fact that I had a talent like this was really encouraging too.”

Having transitioned from South Carroll High School to St. John’s, Russell values the welcoming community and serves as vice president of the National Art Honor Society chapter. Envisioning a future as an art teacher, she said, “Because I have this talent, I can share God’s love in this way. It’s a God-given talent.”

Mount de Sales Dance Program

Dance at Mount de Sales Academy transcends being merely a performing art; it represents an exploration of fundamental movement principles. The program, rooted in a classical approach, caters to diverse experience levels. Angela Romeo, a parishioner of St. Agnes, Catonsville, and St. William of York Parishes, Ten Hills, who is a dance director and performing arts chairwoman at Mount de Sales, said the program enables students to discover their talents, convey emotions and express art.

“This school gives the girls the opportunities that they have to become the women that God intends for them to be,” Romeo told the Catholic Review. The Honors Dance Company, consisting of sophomores, juniors and seniors, undergoes auditions to secure spots in the class. Romeo, not just a faculty member but also an alumna and past parent, appreciates how the school continues to shape students through dance, encouraging them to pursue dance studies outside of school.

Chloe Fisher, a student at Mount de Sales, specializes in diverse dance styles such as ballet, contemporary and character dance, actively participating in global competitions. Aspiring to become a professional ballet dancer and join a college dance team, Fisher values the opportunities provided by Mount de Sales that allow her to balance academic and dance commitments.

“Dancing is like just the way I can express myself; it’s truly my passion and it’s what I want to do when I’m older.”

Like Fisher, Chinu Freeman-James, another passionate dancer specializing in modern lyrical, contemporary and jazz styles, sees dance as a form of self-expression.

“I am able to connect my faith with dancing by giving God all the glory because he’s truly the one who gave me the talent to do this,” Freeman-James said.

Calvert Hall’s Art Program

Calvert Hall High School’s Visual Arts Program offers an active space for students to explore diverse artistic disciplines, fostering creativity and participation in external art competitions. The curriculum covers drawing, painting, watercolors, printmaking, ceramics, woodworking and graphic design.

Calvert Hall senior Braeden Healy became interested in visual arts while recuperating from a sports injury several years ago. He plans to attend the Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia following graduation. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

Jim Doyle prioritizes instilling a genuine love for art in his students. Emphasizing fundamentals such as color mixing and design, he guides students through a range of projects tailored to grades nine through 12, including intaglio etching, oil pastels and watercolor.

“Our students feel loved and nurtured, and by having that feeling, they’re then able to passionately display their art because they have all of those basic needs met,” he said.

Braeden Healy, a senior contemplating a future career in fine art photography at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia, underscores the pivotal role of art in schools for fostering creativity and individual thinking. “It’s a good way to get good at being creative and thinking for yourself,” he noted. Healy channels his expression through drawing and photography, deeming them more effective communication tools than writing.

Art provides Healy with focus and peace. “It’s a way to express the way I see the world. It’s like my view,” he said.

Calvert Hall’s Visual Arts Program, extending beyond its educational role, “emerges as a nurturing environment where students refine their artistic skills and embark on journeys of self-discovery through the power of creative expression,” Doyle said.

The program’s holistic approach not only encourages technical proficiency but also cultivates a profound appreciation for the transformative nature of art.