Visual Arts Department at NHS

Newtown High School offers a wide range of academic programs, including a Visual Arts Department that is often overlooked by the overall student body. While NHS is well known for its academic, athletic, and extracurricular offerings, the Visual Arts Department provides students with opportunities to develop creative, technical, and critical thinking skills through visual art courses.

The Visual Arts Department at NHS is led by teachers Kymberly Noone and Annette Womack. The department offers numerous classes, including Drawing 1 and 2, Painting 1 and 2, Ceramics 1 and 2, Sculpture, Mixed Media Design Studio, Humanities Applied (Art Focus), Advanced Placement Studio Art, and AP Art History.

According to the NHS 2025–2026 Program of Studies, the goal of the art program is to help students develop visual literacy and creative problem-solving skills. The program emphasizes using imagination, exploring both traditional and contemporary art-making techniques, and making connections to history and other disciplines. Students are also encouraged to build portfolios that can be used for college and career preparation, and they have opportunities to submit work to regional, state, and national art shows.

Senior Jeremiah Stone, who has taken multiple art classes at NHS, explained that the department provides a supportive environment for students.

“I think that there is a lot of support within this department and I like that it has become a safe space for a lot of students, including myself,” Stone said. “If we need to just hang out and do homework, we’re allowed to do it here.”

Stone also discussed how the department has influenced his development as an artist, and emphasized the importance of having creative courses available in a school setting.

“It has definitely challenged me and caused me to grow both artistically and as a person. I’ve received a lot of constructive criticism that has been hard to take but overall caused me to grow and become a better artist. Also, I think it’s good for people to have a creative outlet. If I didn’t have art class, I wouldn’t want to come to school as much, so it’s good to have something to look forward to,” Stone said.

Womack, who is in her fourth year teaching at NHS and has 15 years of overall teaching experience, explained that the department focuses on skills that extend beyond art itself.

“You want to be able to think outside the box, think on your feet, and problem-solve,” Womack said. “Creative problem solving is the biggest takeaway, even if they never touch an art supply again.”

Womack teaches Mixed Media Design Studio, which allows students to work with a wide variety of materials.

“You learn something new in every single project,” Womack said. “Not just a new technique or a skill, but a whole new medium.”

Despite the range of offerings, some advanced courses are less widely recognized by students.

“I wish more students knew about higher level ceramics courses, for sure,” Womack said. “Everything you learn in Ceramics 1 can be translated into Ceramics 2.”

The Visual Arts Department gives students multiple ways to explore creativity while developing skills that can be applied both inside and outside the classroom. Although the department is sometimes considered an elective, the people within the department know the meaningful connections and growth that art can create, and hope that more students become interested in participating.