The capstone of the ninth grade Advanced Studio Art elective is the passion project. Moving beyond standard classroom assignments, this project is an open-ended opportunity to create a piece of art in any medium. With minimal boundaries, students are challenged to create a unique piece of art that reflects their personal ideas, values, and identity as artists. 

Staring down a completely blank canvas can be the hardest part of any creative journey. To help students overcome this hurdle, Arts Department Chair Chris Kimball provides a simple starting point: every project must incorporate a hand in some way. "As talented and creative as these advanced students are, figuring out how to fill a blank space can be the biggest obstacle," Chris notes. "Think of a pearl growing from a tiny grain of sand inside an oyster- I'm just providing that initial grain of sand for them to build their creation around."

Students ran with the opportunity. They produced everything from intricate pencil drawings and vibrant paintings to a fully constructed dress sculpted on a mannequin. One powerful mixed-media piece focused on environmental issues, featuring two hands cradling a three-dimensional coral reef. Each project is paired with an artist’s statement, allowing students to reflect on their final piece and their creative growth throughout the year as they showcase their portfolio to the Fay community at the end-of-year Advanced Studio Art Show.

Culminating their time at Fay with the passion project allows students to see themselves as true artists in their own right, rather than just students completing assignments. “I hope they realize the power of their own artistic voice,” says Chris. “They have the talent to execute any assignment given to them, but I want them to know they can create without guidelines or structure. They can tap into what they believe in, combine it with their technical skills, and say something interesting.”