Serra’s Visual Arts Program: A Comprehensive Studio Arts Experience

Serra High School’s visual arts program offers a comprehensive studio art experience where students explore drawing, painting, sculpture and design. Designed for all skill levels—from beginners building foundational techniques to advanced students pursuing AP-level coursework—the program emphasizes creativity, technical skill and critical thinking.

Through hands-on projects and guided instruction, students develop their artistic voice while gaining experience across a range of media and visual disciplines.

Foundational and Advanced Art

In Basic Art, students build core skills in drawing, sculpting and painting through hands-on techniques. The curriculum integrates art history and artist studies as students create portraits, still-life drawings and perspective studies using pencils, pens, erasers, plaster, acrylics, watercolors and pastels.

Advanced Explorations in 2- and 3-Dimensional Art offers students the opportunity to delve deeper into specialized projects, including murals, portraits and printmaking. Students explore advanced applications of ink, acrylics and oil paints, challenging their artistic vision and problem-solving skills. AP level courses include AP 2D Art and Design, AP 3D Art and Design and AP Drawing.

Ceramics

Ceramics students explore the versatile medium of clay, focusing on both functional and decorative aspects of glaze and form. They master essential hand-building techniques such as pinch pots, coil, and slab construction, and also learn to use the potter’s wheel. Projects include diverse creations like self-portraits, ancient vessels and sculptural representations of favorite foods or modes of transportation.

Introduction to Digital Design

Introduction to Digital Design focuses on the use of digital design tools to create original artwork for print and digital media. Projects focus on image-making, typography, color, layout and visual storytelling, using industry-standard software. Students work through the creative process by brainstorming ideas, experimenting, revising their work, participating in critiques and building a digital portfolio. This course is ideal for students interested in art, design, media or creative careers, and for those who want to explore a digital medium before taking advanced art courses.

Yearbook Publication

The yearbook course provides students with an introduction to a wide variety of visual and textual creative skills and business skills. Students develop competencies in journalism, photography, graphic and visual design, interviewing and networking skills, as well as organization and team deadlines. At the end of the year, they will have created a cohesive and appealing publication for their peers to enjoy, and which will remain on the shelves of Serra High School for years to come.

Tri-School Program

Through our innovative Tri-School program, students can expand their artistic horizons with additional specialized courses. Offerings include Non-Darkroom Photography, 3D Art, Video Production, Graphic Design and AP Art History, providing pathways to explore emerging technologies and media arts.

Visual Arts Program FAQ

What types of art classes are offered at Serra High School?

Are there opportunities for students to display or showcase their artwork?

Yes, Serra students have multiple opportunities to showcase their artwork throughout the year. Twice each year, in the fall and spring, students present their work in on-campus art shows open to the school community. Student artwork is also displayed across campus year-round. In addition, members of the National Art Honor Society participate in statewide art competitions, with select works exhibited in professional gallery and museum settings.

Are there advanced or AP art courses available?

How does Serra’s visual arts program prepare students for college or creative careers?

Serra High School’s visual arts program prepares students for college and creative careers by helping them:

Build strong, portfolio-ready work
Develop advanced technical and creative skills through AP and specialized courses
Strengthen problem-solving and critical thinking abilities

These skills translate directly to college programs and a wide range of creative fields.

Meet Sarah Merola

Teaching Artist

Sarah Merola has been creating art for as long as she can remember. After discovering ceramics in high school, she developed a lasting passion for sculpture.

Originally from Maryland, Sarah earned her B.F.A. and B.A. in Education from Green Mountain College in Vermont. She taught a range of art courses at Frederick Douglass High School for ten years before relocating to California in 2014 to pursue her MFA in Sculpture at the Academy of Art University.

Since 2018, she has been teaching at Serra. Her work has been exhibited at the Alexandria Museum of Art in Louisiana, the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, and most recently at the Museum of Northern California Art in Chico.

Sarah currently lives in Oakland, California, where she remains an active member of the local arts community.

Meet Clara Lonardo

Teaching Artist

Clara Lonardo earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Georgetown University, where she also studied Studio Art in Paris, France. After college, she continued developing her skills in ceramics at the Corcoran School of Art and Design in Washington, DC.

Clara has taught art in Catholic schools in San Francisco and Washington, DC, and has been teaching at Serra since 2017. In her classes, students learn hand-building, wheel-throwing and other techniques for working with clay. She encourages creativity, skill-building and experimentation, helping students turn their ideas into unique, finished pieces through hands-on projects in the ceramics studio.

Clara is currently enrolled in the Masters of Teacher Leadership program at San Diego State University and will complete the degree in August 2026.