Majoring in the Arts

In a quiet room on the southern wing of the arts building, a large self-portrait hangs on the wall.

It’s the project of Evelyn Kang ’22, who has been patiently chipping away at the drawing with different shadings of charcoal—a medium for which she was unfamiliar until enrolling in Francois Poisson’s Art Major course.

The Art Major program at Cheshire Academy is an honors-level, yearlong course for the most dedicated art students to pursue their passion for creating and expressing meaning through art. There’s immeasurable room for self-expression and pursuit of one’s passion in the program, with the end goal being to establish a portfolio for students to use in their pursuit of opportunities at the collegiate level and in their future professions.

And at CA, the Art Major program has produced impressive results. In the past five years alone, alumni have gone on to attend Rhode Island School of Design, Parson School of Design, New York University, Pratt Institute, Maryland Institute College of Art, University of California, Los Angeles School of the Arts and Architecture, and the Carnegie Mellon School of Architecture.

“They dream big, and they go places,” commented Poisson.

Students in the program are provided the resources, the instruction, and the constructive criticism they need to succeed, all while being treated with respect as young artists and designers. Whether starting in 11th or 12th grade, the initial sessions of the class start the same, with three primary questions: What is the student hoping to do, accomplish, and build? Poisson and the student review their current portfolio built from their years at CA and their own individual work, decide what kind of program they wish to apply to in college, and determine what is needed to round out their portfolio.

The other piece of the consultation is to figure out a work of art that will “blow away” the admissions committee at their colleges and universities of choice. “I try to get each student to do something that really is just so extraordinary and ambitious, that shows all their abilities and potential."

These students have already established their artistic base, whether from when they were growing up or by taking other art courses taught atCA. And while many of CA’s alumni who took the Art Major course have gone on to college for design (about 90%, according to Poisson), the course itself allows students to explore any medium they want:videography, photography, architecture, fashion, or anything else.

Continue reading about the four students enrolled in the course this year, what they’re working on, and where they plan to go with their talents.

Evelyn

Growing up in Korea, Evelyn Kang ’22 was required to determine her major at an early age. Pursuing art was an easy decision for her, as she has always been drawing and painting various subjects. But for some reason, the art styles prominent in her region didn’t speak to her, as most of the artists practiced still-life drawing.

Kang came to CA during her 10th-grade year. She heard about the Art Major program, which is available typically to 11th and 12th-grade students, so she had to wait a year before she could enroll. But the program stayed in the back of her mind until she could sign up. “I like that we have the Art Major program because it doesn’t have limitations. Students can do whatever they want. It’s a real chance for you to find out what you’re really like in the art world, and find your creativity.”

Now in her senior year, Kang is working on a charcoal self-portrait. It's not only a work of art, but of determination, as she has been tackling the project since the start of the academic year.

“I usually like to do oil paintings,” reflected Kang, as she added a few pieces of hair with some charcoal strokes. “Sixteenth-century artwork has really great detail in it. I never really used charcoal before because you can’t really erase perfectly when you use it, so it’s hard because I tend to use an eraser a lot when drawing.”

But Kang understands why Poisson is pushing her to use a different medium, and on such a large scale. “It’s just challenging. I understand the work that Mr. Poisson wants me to do because he’s helping me to see beyond my current level and to improve my skills.”

Around her self-portrait are horses drawn in honor of the year she was born. Kang also incorporates wispy clouds, tapping the Korean art style of minhwa, bringing elements of her home region to a more western artwork.

Kang will be attending Penn State University in the fall.

Violet

Violet Yan ’22

Violet Yan ’22 lights up when talking about fashion design. It’s what she plans to pursue in college, and what she is focusing on as an art major.

She likes everything about it. Creating styles for herself and others, designing beautiful clothes, and making her own outfits from scratch.

When she was a child, Yan quickly developed a passion for fashion and design. Most times, she could be found sifting through Chinese fashion magazines, like Vogue China. She became enamored with the style of many of the models, and wanted to get into the profession.

“Stylists and models teach people how to dress, whether it’s for autumn weather, or how to dress well for school, or in other different situations,” reflected Yan. “I found that really helpful to me, and I thought it would be interesting to pursue that as a career.”

This year, Yan worked on three different outfits, and crafted paintings to go along with each. Creating each outfit takes approximately a month, depending on what material she is using. One of her outfits required her to learn how to knit, which concluded with a scarf, top, and skirt ensemble.

When she was in 10th grade, she learned how to sew. Recognizing Yan’s passion, her mother enrolled her in a designer class to further her skill set. “I go there from time to time to learn how to use a sewing machine and make clothes.”

In the fall, Yan will be attending the School of Visual Arts.

Laura

Laura Zhu ’23

When Laura Zhu ’23 starts an oil painting, she begins to relax. The practice gets her away from the stressors of life and allows her to express herself through her artwork.

Zhu hopes to apply to art schools and plans to major in psychology. She enrolled in the Art Major program to build her portfolio, with her independent project being a series of oil paintings of human eyes and mouths. “I just wanted to show my feelings through painting,” Zhu reflected.

Each oil painting takes approximately one month to complete, Zhu explained. Once she has a vision, she begins to sketch the concept on canvas. Then, she starts painting.

One of her more recent oil paintings was of ocean waves on a beach. “It’s a little challenging,” Zhu said. “The waves—you really need to pay attention to the details.”

Zhu has a habit of drawing landscapes. Simply put, “I just think they’re beautiful.” When it comes to more anatomical paintings, Zhu tended to draw three-dimensionally. So, when she took on the challenge to draw mouths and eyes in a 2D format, it got her out of her shell.

“I’m trying some new skills that I didn’t develop in the past,” Zhu said.

Thamina

Thamina Hoque ’23

Thamina Hoque ’23 is on track to become the next up-and-coming designer, whether it’s interior design or a different medium.

“I’d like to be able to control living spaces, make people comfortable,” reflected Hoque. “They can choose what they want to choose, and I can give them what they want in terms of that. There are always cool and unique ways to use space that look good.”

Hoque enrolled in the program after seeing some of her friends go through the class and develop outstanding portfolios for the college admission process. Growing up, she was interested in arts and crafts, which ultimately led her to an interest in design.

For her independent project, Hoque is designing a two-story loft, with the vision that it would be her dream apartment upon graduating from college. “It’s two floors, looks nice, and it’s efficient, too.” Hoque envisions living in a city, where closet space in apartments is limiting. As such, she’s designing it with closets constructed inside the walls, rather than sticking out and taking up important floor space.

To Hoque, having the independence to pursue something that she is interested in stood out about the program. “Mr. Poisson lets you choose what you want to do and in what direction you want to go. My classmates are doing things that they want to do.”

This summer, Hoque will be attending RISD’s Pre-College summer program through a full scholarship. Approximately 500-600 students attend the program each year, and only 27 students received full scholarships for the 2022 program. “I definitely feel lucky,” Hoque said.

As part of the program, Hoque will board at RISD—Poisson’s alma mater—for six weeks. It’s an intensive program with daylong studio classes and independent work. Hoque plans to learn new skills, enhance her portfolio, and improve her time management and other habits. And in the fall, Hoque will continue with the Art Major program at CA.

These four students are just the current group who will go on to expand their talents at the collegiate level and in their careers. “These kids, they get recruited right out of college because they’re well trained and they’re going into creative professions. Hearing back from them, they’re doing well in the professional arena. They got good jobs and they’re successful.”

And to Poisson, that means the world. “I feel good about being a bridge to their future. We’ve taken them from a place of youthful interest and passion to one that’s highly focused, meaningful, and forward looking.”