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Visual Arts
Learn about the visual art instruction provided to elementary, middle and high school students.
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Elementary art
All of our elementary schools offer visual art instruction to our students. Students explore the basic principles and elements of design, experiment with media, and explore famous artists and their works.
Elementary enriched art
Is your child talented in art? Some elementary schools offer an enriched art program for gifted students:
- Kimberlin Academy for Excellence
- Hillside Academy for Excellence
- Walnut Glen Academy for Excellence
- The Classical Center at Vial Elementary School
Learn more on our Gifted & Talented page and the Classical Magnet page.
Middle school art
Students at the middle school level are offered full-year art courses. Students are introduced in-depth to design, methods and materials. Students work in several mediums including painting, sculpture, drawing, ceramics and printmaking.
Middle school enriched art
Austin Academy for Excellence offers an enriched art program for gifted students through the Academy for Excellence magnet program.
High school art
Students begin with two introductory art classes. The first class focuses on 2-dimensional design including perspective, drawing, color theory, painting, and printmaking. The second class continues to 3-dimensional design including ceramics, sculpture, and textiles. Students also explore the historical and cultural contexts in which many artworks are created.
From there, interested students can choose to specialize in:
- ceramics
- drawing
- electronic media
- fibers
- painting
- printmaking
- sculpture
Explore Fine Arts course guides for more information about specific courses.
Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) art
Students who wish to earn college credit have the opportunity to take AP and IB art courses.
We have the following college-level AP courses available:
- History of Art
- Art Drawing Portfolio
- Art 2D Design Portfolio
- Art 3D Design Portfolio
AP art courses are available at all campuses, while IB art programs are only at Garland High School. Find out more about the Academy of Fine Arts.
Competitions
Students from all the district art programs compete in many events throughout the year such as:
- Celebrating Art
- State Fair of Texas Art Show
- Big Art Day
- TASA/TASB Show
- Wheels of Hope Car Art Show
- Dia de los Muertos
- M.L.K. Art Show
- GISD District Art Show
- PTA Reflections
- Scholastic Art and Writing
- Faculty Art Show
- Regional High School VASE
- State High School VASE
- Junior VASE
- Texas Visual Arts Association Exhibition
TAEA District of Distinction
TAEA is the leading advocate for the visual arts in the state. Garland ISD has been recognized as a TAEA District of Distinction for the 3rd time.
For the 2024 award, over 1,200 districts were eligible to apply. Each district submitted documentation they met from the 14-point rubric over the 2023-2024 school year. Only 94 districts met the standard. These districts will receive the outstanding honor, showing they are in the top 5.5% in art education of the districts in the state.
Discover more in Fine Arts
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