A Pingry Education

"Pingry provides not only an education—any school can do that—but also a space for teaching students to be stewards of that education. It's not just 'Here are the tools to succeed in the world,' but also 'How are you going to brandish those tools to better your community?'"

—Mike Coakley, Middle School teacher

A Pingry Education

—Mike Coakley, Middle School teacher

Visual Arts

The visual arts—they affect us personally, socially, and culturally. At Pingry, we seek to help students explore this pervasive media through wide exposure, critical examination, and age-appropriate curricula. Our courses are carefully designed to help students discover their talents and find their voice.

Our facilities are state-of-the art. On the Lower Campus, students work in two renovated studios. At the Basking Ridge campus, they enjoy the resources housed in the beautiful Hostetter Arts Center, completed in 2003. And for Upper School photography students and Middle School studio labs participants, the main campus building is the center of activity.

We also foster a lively dialogue with artists outside the campus through the Hostetter Gallery program, which brings master artists’ exhibitions and visiting artists to campus throughout the year. Pingry also sponsors an annual, area-wide photography exhibition featuring student works from 14 independent and public schools. And to further reinforce our arts curriculum, student work is continuously on view throughout both campuses.

The history of art and the study of contemporary art culture throughout the world are also incorporated into each of our course offerings. By the time our students graduate, they have a firm foundation in art’s complex language and a greater appreciation for its ability to promote expression, communication, tolerance, and the articulation of many points of view throughout our global society. For course descriptions, please refer to the Curriculum Guide.

Upper School

Our dynamic Upper School program provides students with opportunities to specialize in a range of media including clayworking; photography; sculpture; drawing and painting; architecture, drafting, and design; filmmaking and video; and environmental art. Our goal: to help students find their own voice and individual identity in their chosen art form.

Middle School

Middle School: Middle School students find their visual vocabulary through a supportive, confidence-building arts curriculum grounded in a studio environment. When students discover the transformative power of art in their lives, they become open to the possibilities of self-expression. For course descriptions, please refer to the Curriculum Guide.

Lower School

Lower School: Our Lower School program is devoted to allowing young students to experience the joy and meaning found in the process of being a creative, artistic individual. Our courses encourage children to make connections with their studies, notice patterns, blend content, and create ways to solve problems. For course descriptions, please refer to the Curriculum Guide.

Sample Course Offerings

Environmental Art
Photography
Architecture

Environmental Art

Environmental Art: Availing themselves of Pingry’s nearly 200 acres of natural resources—easily harvested clay, wood, and stone—students explore the possibilities for using natural and recycled materials to make art with an emphasis on site-specific sculpture.

Photography

Photography: Our courses introduce students to photography as an art form, teaching them to incorporate individuality and the principles of design into their creations while also developing their powers of observation, inquiry, and imagination.

Architecture

Architecture, Drafting, & Design: Design—the process of planning, problem solving, development, construction, and presentation of ideas. Students develop skills in visualization through sketching, drafting, and constructing models and are also introduced to computer-aided design programs.