A Dive into Post-AP Art Class

At Deerfield, the Post-AP Studio Art course offers students the opportunity to explore their artistic pursuits beyond the fast-paced structure of AP Drawing and Painting. As the official course description notes, the class “aims to provide a broader perspective and the opportunity to develop each student’s creative voice” while encouraging risk-taking through hands-on exploration of drawing and painting at a higher level.

“The AP course is about ideas and discipline and time management, but it doesn’t allow the depth that Post-AP does,” said Art Teacher Mercedes Taylor. The course offers a more flexible schedule compared to AP Art, allowing students to work at their own pace with longer timeframes for assignments. “I’ve made a lot less work this year than last, but it’s a lot better than last year’s because I was staying on a schedule to submit,” said Post-AP Art student Vivian Monopoli ’26. “In AP, you have to choose an inquiry, [and] you’re confined by that. But in Post-AP, you are following assignments, but you get a longer amount of time, and you also get to choose the subject of your piece.”

With units dedicated to distinct topics such as color theory or contemporary artists, students refine their technique while developing a greater intentionality behind their work. Much of the course revolves around analyzing modern artists, where students attempt to replicate their styles and eventually create their own pieces influenced by those techniques.

“You do that in every subject,” Ms. Taylor said. “In English, you study Toni Morrison and Shakespeare. In art, you learn from the masters, too.” Shelby Acquavella ’27 spoke more on the process: “Our last project was based on Alice Neill—she doesn’t do a very realistic style. So for a lot of us, this process pushes us to try different styles than what we would normally do... you can learn a lot more skills or different approaches that you wouldn’t be able to do in AP Art.”

Throughout the school year, students tackle a wide variety of projects. One such assignment brought them to the temporary dining hall, where they were tasked to capture ordinary scenes and details. “I drew the pipes on the ceiling,” said Acquavella. “They’re so big, but I didn’t notice them until I had to. I’m assuming most students don’t take the time to look up and see what’s above them.” Meanwhile, others focused on what the dining hall symbolizes to them. “It was a way to look at ordinary things and showcase their importance,” said Monopoli. “I painted the berries and cream dessert—one of my favorites. And desserts are a big thing. People talk about which one’s the best and rate them. I think that was really cool.” In a sense, these paintings set in the temporary dining hall also became documents of a fleeting space. “They’re archival,” Ms. Taylor explained. “Some of these objects won’t be there in the new dining hall.”

In addition to thematic assignments, students explored a broad range of mediums and materials. A standout project involved interpreting California landscapes through the lens of Impressionism—a 19th-century art movement characterized by its emphasis on light, color, and loose brushstrokes. “The idea was to paint with toothbrushes,” explained Ms. Taylor. “The bristles are tough, which means you can’t paint smoothly. Instead, you build layers of color that mix optically,” she added. This method was a challenge for the students, especially with the old plastic toothbrushes they used. “It was definitely hard at first,” said Acquavella. “The toothbrushes were very different from a regular paintbrush, and using acrylics, which dry quickly, made it even more difficult. But it actually worked better for the toothbrush technique because you had to layer a lot.” She continued to explain how the project initially pushed her out of her comfort zone. “My style is very realistic,” Acquavella admitted. “I didn’t think I’d like impressionism, but it ended up being a really nice project. It forced me to try something new.”

By the end of the Post-AP Studio Art course, students leave the classroom with not only a collection of finished work but with a stronger foundation in artistic skill, confidence, and expression, Ms. Taylor described. As she put it, the goal is “to know they can do it, to know that they have many tools to approach painting.” After developing technical skills and large-scale work encompassing numerous mediums, Taylor hoped that students would finish the year with “a very strong toolbox” and often “a portfolio that they can present for colleges as a supplement.”

Ultimately, the course serves as a culmination of their artistic growth, offering them the opportunity to carry their practice forward and beyond the classroom.