WELCOME TO THE SOUTH HIGH

VISUAL ARTS DEPARTMENT

ART

South has 4 Levels of Art, including AP Studio Art! South's Visual Arts can accommodate every level of artist - from beginners to advanced. In Art, students learn how to draw and experiment with new materials. The Art Program is designed to foster creativity, individuality, and self expression. The Art Room is a welcoming space for Artists of all levels.

You can follow the Art Room (Q3) on Instagram! @thedrawsquad

Meet Our Studio Art Teacher:

Ms. Perez started teaching art at South in 2015. She holds a B.A. in Anthropology from CSULB and is currently working on her M.A. in Art Education. She has traveled the world and served as a mechanic in the United States Coast Guard. When she’s not drawing or painting you can find Ms. Perez at the beach either running or surfing. Her passions include reading and cooking with her son Jack. 

For more information about our Visual Arts program, contact Ms. Stephanie Perez at: perez.stephanie@tusd.org

CERAMICS

Ceramics is one of our most popular electives on the South High campus! We offer both beginning and advanced ceramics to our students. This is an awesome class for students to express themselves through the medium of clay. A lot of our students use this class as an escape from their daily tasks and let go of what might be happening outside of our classroom, and fully submerge themselves into their creations. Our ceramic program is an open and safe space for creativity, expression, and application. The awesome and unique aspect of Ceramics, that sets us apart from other types of Art, is that it is aesthetically pleasing AND functional!

Meet Our Ceramics Teacher:

Mr Saldana has been teaching at South since 2014 and is also the Varsity Boys Volleyball coach. He graduated from CSULB with a BA in sociology and received his teaching credential from CSUDH. Mr. Saldana loves international travel, camping, and road trips. He also enjoys reading, surfing, and playing volleyball and basketball.  Fun facts: Mr. Saldana has officiated ten of his friends' weddings. His hidden skill is that he can solve a Rubix Cube in under 2 minutes.

For any questions about our program: saldana.aaron@tusd.org

PHOTOGRAPHY

The South High Visual Arts program has one of the few remaining "Wet" darkroom programs left in the State.  We have a state of the art darkroom with 12 enlargers, and the capability for students to develop their own film and create wonderful hand made prints.  Film formats include the entire spectrum of analogue photographic capabilities including 35mm, 120, and 4x5.  Also, we are developing a digital aspect to the program to utilize the technology of digital cameras and cellular phone cameras as well.  We hope in the future to offer field trips to observe professional photographers at work, as well as scenic opportunities for kids to use their cameras in different environments than they typically have available.

We offer two levels of classes - Photo I and Photo II.  Photo I is primarily and introductory course exposing students to the basic processes of exposure and development, and basic camera functions, as well as composition - and learning how to "see" light, where Photo II students continue to develop these skills and work on a personalized portfolio that revolves around their personal interests and artistic goals.

Meet Our Photography Teacher:

As the instructor for both sections, Mr. Patrick Shea has a background in photography that goes back forty years.  He grew up working with his dad in his home built darkroom, to later studying photography in college, eventually working as a professional for several years doing architectural interiors and exteriors, as well as events and portraiture. For more information, contact Mr. Shea at shea.patrick@tusd.org.