From ones you witness and capture in a few moments, to ones you can form with your hands, art can hold many different forms. CCHS has a large number of artistic options for its students to try. The varying art classes offered for interested, curious students are run  by CCHS art teachers, Jennifer Kennedy and Levi Biedermann. 

Kennedy’s classes are the Fundamentals of Ceramics and Exploration of Ceramics, which students are allowed to repeat. There is also a Dual Credit Ceramics class, in case students wish to this pursue further.  She also often leads in the Fundamentals of Art and Advanced Art classes. Kennedy often teaches some of the photography classes. 

“We try to catch students when they are freshman”, Kennedy said. “It’s easier to help them move forward when we get them from the start.”

Kennedy also holds an after school Art Club where students can further explore their creativity.

Biedermann’s classes are Beginning and Advanced Photography, and Sculpture. This year, Biedermann teaches the early bird art class. In photography, students learn how to compose the photos they take. For students without phones or damaged cameras, the teacher gives them spare phones in the classroom. The advanced students are given cameras.

In sculpture, students use scraps such as recycled materials, wood, and anything else they can find to make 3D forms of artwork. This class mainly focuses on the creativity and  capability of students. They also offer welding both in this class and  its own class.

“I’m passionate about the arts, specifically sculpture and ceramics,” Biedermann said. ” I was also passionate about teaching. So I figured, why not combine the two.”

Kennedy and Biedermann worked to inspire the creativity of their students. For this, they would coordinate events such as fieldtrips and Fine Arts Nights. On these field trips, the art students travel to the St. Louis Art Museum, SIU, Giant City,  and the City Museum. For Fine Arts Nights, there is an after school event held, where students’ work would be put on display for visitors to view.

 The school also holds a Board Purchase Award. In this, students will enter their art into a competition. A vote will be held, and the winner will receive a $200 prize, as well as having their art hung in the school.