Studio Arts
Studio Art studies include traditional visual mediums: drawing, painting, ceramics, sculpture, printmaking and mixed media. These fine art mediums allow students to express themselves in deeply creative ways, while also understanding and applying artistic concepts such as color, form, line, shape, space, texture, and value in sophisticated ways. Studio artists will learn through a lens of culturally informed art history, contemporary practices, portfolio development, and implement professional practices within the art career field.
Students begin their studies with a foundations course that is designed to introduce the basics of a studio art class including topics about: safety, procedures, vocabulary, principles & elements of art & design, 2D & 3D, and art history. Courses expand upon and challenge students’ understanding of specific mediums as well as the function of art and the role of an artist in contemporary society.
Studio Art students enter senior year taking advanced courses in mediums that specifically interest them. These courses set ambitious goals for students and are partially student-directed. This approach allows them to delve deeper into concepts, media, artists, and functions of their work that are of particular importance to them. Portfolio and career readiness are emphasized as are contemporary art and industry practices.
Learning Objectives
Studio Art students are held to a standard of excellence regarding their work and practices.
- Communication is paramount,
- students are expected to discuss their work, intentions, and choices while engaging in conversation and discourse about their peers’ work.
- Exhibitions and public events are a focal part of the department. Contribution and participation are expected.
Required Courses
- Intro to Visual Arts
- Studio Foundations A & B
- Digital Foundations A & B
Students choose two of the following courses during their 3rd and 4th year:
- Advanced Painting
- Advanced Drawing
- Advanced Ceramics
- Advanced Printmaking
- Advanced Sculpture
Please view our Program of Studies here.
Portfolio Requirements
Prepare a collection of your best works. Take pictures in natural sunlight or proper lighting so we can view your art in its best light! You can submit your work as a link to an online portfolio, or as an attachment to an email. Your portfolio should include a selection of 5-10 examples of your best work, including photographs, sketches, drawings, paintings, and other works such as sculpture or mixed media.
Studio Clubs/Organizations
National Art Honors Society
Studio Arts Opportunities/Events
- Regular Exhibition space around the WAA facilities Fall Coffee Shop
- Spring Lemonade Stand
- Art Festival
- Outside organization Open Calls and Exhibitions
Past Recognition
2x Silver Key Award Winner – Scholastic Art And Writing Awards
https://www.artandwriting.org/awards/recognition/
Past Masterclasses
- Visiting Artist Series Featuring 20+ artists who spoke with Students
- Studio Visit Series – Juniors & Seniors visited Gingerly Press printmaking studio in Lawrenceville
Studio Arts Faculty
Select a faculty member’s name to view their professional background and contact information.
Austenne Gniadek
Austenne Gniadek | agniadek@westinghousearts.org | 412-646-1718 ext. 5219
Austenne Gniadek earned a Bachelor’s in K-12 Art Education and a Master’s in Further Studies in Secondary Education both from California University of Pennsylvania. Austenne began teaching at Westinghouse Arts Academy in the spring of 2021, currently the faculty leader for Westinghouse’s summer art camps and WAA’s chapter of the National Art Education Association. Austenne is also an avid art history enthusiast and loves to learn and discuss art throughout time. Austenne aims to teach empathy, creative problem-solving, and creative thinking in all aspects of the curriculum.
Emily Newman
enewman@westinghousearts.org | 412-646-1718 ext. 5206
Emily Newman was born in Singapore, raised in London, and settled in Pittsburgh about 10 years ago after years of living and traveling all over. Since then she has taught art extensively in Pittsburgh all the way from elementary to collegiate levels. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Bard College in New York, her Master’s of Fine Arts from CalArts in Los Angeles, and her Master’s of Art Education from Chatham, here in Pittsburgh. She is a Fulbright Scholar and has shown her work internationally, most recently in 2022 at the Mattress Factory Museum in Pittsburgh where she displayed a wide array of works in video, interactive sculpture, and screenprinting. Her work is located directly at the intersection between digital and studio and she is excited to work with students across those disciplines while teaching at Westinghouse.
Jada Patterson
jpatterson@westinghousearts.org | 412-646-1718 ext. 5217
Jada Patterson is a multidisciplinary artist and crafts person born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Jada began their studies at the Kansas City Art Institute where they received their Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ceramics and Art History. They’ve continued their studies as a fellow, mentee and resident at art and craft schools across the country including the Ox-Bow School of Arts, Charlotte Street Foundation, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, John C. Campbell Folk School and the Hambidge Center for Creative Arts and Sciences. Their personal work spans across ceramics, sculpture as well as traditional craft mediums such as broom making and basketry. Working primarily in clay, beeswax and assemblage, Jada explores beauty, adornment, girlhood and material culture as it relates to the human condition. In the classroom Jada teaches all grade levels in Foundations, Printmaking as well as other Art Electives.
Makenna Wingrove
Makenna Wingrove | mwingrove@westinghousearts.org | 412-646-1718 ext. 5111
Makenna Wingrove holds a Bachelor’s degree in Art Education from Penn West University. She is a jack of all trades but enjoys sculpture, ceramics, and printmaking most of all. Makenna began teaching at Westinghouse Art Academy in 2021. Her teaching philosophy encourages students to tap into their own unique artistic talent while also being pulled out of their comfort zone. Creativity is essential to succeed in an interdisciplinary education and students should be encouraged to express their individuality. When she is not at school you can usually find her at the AMC movie theater surrounded by buckets of popcorn.
Student Work Showcase
