Lucy Brewster

How often did your class meet?

Our class meets every other day for the entire school year. Most classes are 90 minutes. A few times a month, classes are 75 minutes to support flex time for students to meet with teachers and get help.

My AP Art and Design class combines all three portfolio types (2-D, Drawing, and 3-D) and is limited to 11th and 12th graders. I usually have about 25 students in the class. Students submit a portfolio for entrance into the class and meet in the spring to obtain materials, a sketchbook, and a summer packet for the following school year. I have two sections of AP Art and Design generally.

How did you guide students in developing and refining their inquiry statements and portfolio direction during their Sustained Investigations?

Before summer break, I meet with the entire incoming AP group and give them a summer packet to dive into process work, experiment in their sketchbooks, and begin developing their inquiry. When fall begins, we start the year with a mini Sustained Investigation, where students explore a body of work on a tiny scale. Students spend time trying new materials, making lists, speed-ideating, and working in groups to share ideas and get feedback. Through all of this, along with one-on-one meetings, students point toward a direction and begin their inquiry journey. We revisit this practice throughout the year to fortify and support the process.

How did you help students strengthen technical skills and apply design knowledge (elements and principles) while also developing creative problem-solving habits?

I help students strengthen their technical skills through warm-ups, sketchbook development, and field trips. I talk with students about the importance of making bad work and to continue making work even when they’re having an artist block. I offer suggestions to help students move through blocks, which include choosing other media to work with, working on an unrelated artwork, or diving into research. In regards to the elements and principles, we discuss how they exist in their work and the work of other artists throughout the year.

How did you scaffold writing into students’ art making and thinking processes?

We begin writing immediately. Students write their first artist’s statement after completing a mini Sustained Investigation. During that first critique, students look at someone else’s mini Sustained Investigation, pretending to be the artist whose work they are looking at. They write a statement for the original artist without looking at the original statement. This helps the original artist hear how someone else interprets their work and offers them new descriptions and perspectives on their body of work. They write during each critique, giving feedback and reflecting on everyone’s work, including their own. At the end of the first semester, they answer both AP questions as a practice first draft.

How did you manage classroom resources and materials to support art making?

I offer a wide array of materials for students to work with. I never say no to donations of any kind and begin the year with a variety of “material investigation” activities where students spend time learning about and “playing” with new materials. Students meet with the librarian and learn ways to deepen their research, and I bring in artists to share their work or give demonstrations on their techniques and processes.

What did you learn from working with your students, and how did you connect their learning to real-world opportunities or creative careers?

I’m always learning about students as humans and artists in the world, about the inquiry topic they are exploring, and, at times, about a new medium alongside them. I get the great pleasure of watching them take huge risks, discover new ways of seeing, and often fail or hit roadblocks and then bounce back. I see them show up to critiques with their art and find the strength and vulnerability to put their work out in the world for feedback. Their learning connects so well to real-world opportunities because the safety of our community allows for students to practice public speaking, give critical feedback, and build strong art and design skills.

What makes you most proud of your school’s AP Art and Design program and its impact on your students and teacher(s)?

I’m proud of Grant High School’s AP Art and Design Program for offering students a unique chance to explore creativity and develop critical thinking through visual expression. It challenges students, builds confidence, and prepares them for college and careers. The portfolio-based approach fosters discipline and self-reflection, skills valuable beyond art. Teachers also benefit by nurturing a supportive, innovative community that encourages collaboration and growth. Overall, the program is a vital foundation for artistic excellence and personal development at Grant High.

Over the past few years, I’ve really focused on making our visual arts program at Grant stronger and more accessible for all students. We’ve built a clearer course pathway so students can move from foundations to advanced and AP-level work, and we’ve made sure those classes are taught by full-time, certified art teachers. I’ve also worked to remove barriers—like course fees or scheduling conflicts—and to encourage more students who haven’t traditionally taken art to get involved. We’ve added more opportunities for students to showcase their work—through hallway and community exhibitions—and strengthened partnerships with local artists and organizations who bring fresh perspectives into our classrooms. On the staff side, we’ve built in professional learning around culturally sustaining and contemporary art practices, which has really helped keep the curriculum relevant and engaging. Overall, the goal has been to create a more inclusive, well-resourced program that celebrates student creativity, builds confidence, and connects our artists to the broader community.

What advice would you share with other school leaders about building and sustaining strong AP Art and Design programs?

My biggest advice for school leaders building an AP Art and Design program is to start with strong foundations and the right people. A passionate, certified art teacher with time and support makes all the difference. From there, focus on building a clear pathway—introductory and intermediate classes that prepare students for the rigor of AP work. Equity is key: Remove barriers like course fees or scheduling conflicts and actively recruit students who might not see themselves as “AP material” but who have real creative potential. And finally, celebrate student work publicly—through showcases, galleries, and community partnerships. When students feel supported and their art is visible, the program naturally grows and sustains itself.