This semester, AP Studio Art students succeeded in finishing their Concentrations and submitting half of their portfolio as a College Board-level class. Concentrations are comprised of a body of twelve artworks that express in-depth examination of a particular visual idea. The purpose of the AP Studio Art Concentration is to explore an issue through formal or conceptual themes.

The twelve works of art that the Concentration includes are built around a single theme, and each theme depicts a subject matter of personal importance to the artist. The artwork reveals a high caliber of investigative thought and reflection, and the artist’s aesthetic application illustrates her own artistic development.

Concentration portfolios are assessed based on the acuity of their ideas, as well as the artistic process. The Concentration is intended to emphasize art-making as a constant process that develops technical skill and applies it to visual elements. According to AP Art student Nina Cuccinello, ‘18, “AP studio art allowed me to identify what medium I enjoyed the most. It gave me the opportunity to dive headfirst into a concept that was unique to me. Having my own Concentration forced me to explore my own ideas and thought processes rather than being given guidelines, which allowed me to grow as an artist.”

Group and individual critiques have given students the opportunity to learn how to assess their own portfolios, as well as those of their classmates. Skillful Concentration design requires learning how to make artistic decisions that best utilize the components of art in an integrative way. In 2-D portfolios, the principles of design (unity, variety, balance, contrast, texture, color, etc.) help artists to develop an image that meaningfully communicates their ideas. Concentrations are also evaluated by the integration of the artist’s understanding of design into her concept, composition, and execution. Above all, the AP Studio Art Concentration refines and encourages the skills that will empower Marymount students to creatively and passionately contribute to our society.