The Art program at Cedar Lane uses the therapeutic and vocational benefits of the art process. Students are given the opportunity to view, create and experience the everchanging process that is the essence of art.

In the Cedar Lane art room, the material itself suffices as a motivation and stimulus. As students experiment with different media, concepts such as color, balance and rhythm develop. Constant exposure and experimentation assist students in developing aesthetic sensibility. Students at Cedar Lane work with materials in a variety of ways. Brushes and easels have been adapted to meet the needs of each student. Our artists are encouraged to respond to art media in ways which utilize fine and gross motor movements and promote visual motor coordination.

Decisions are made about color and brush stroke placement as our artists work freely and intensively. Communicating ideas, feelings, moods and reacting is of the utmost importance. Art provides many opportunities to become deeply involved in experiences related to touch, smell, vision, and hearing which facilitates the student's sensor motor development. Continuous opportunities lead to perceptual growth and subsequently to greater cognition.

Artistic expression arises naturally in our development and is an effective mode of thought and communication. With planning and modification the strengths of each student can be discovered.

Art instruction is enjoyed by preschool, elementary, middle and high school students at Cedar Lane School. In addition to weekly classes, inclusion activities with our neighboring schools across all levels occur on a rotating basis in the art room. Preschool students are joined in class with the preschool students in the Child Development Program for weekly instruction. Age-appropriate elementary students rotate through the year to enjoy art instruction with a 5 th grade class at Fulton Elementary School and classes from Fulton have periodically visited for art instruction in our building. Middle school peer tutors from Lime Kiln Middle School encourage our middle school artists once a month, schedule permitting, and several cooperative projects are on-going with Lime Kiln's Art and Tech. Ed. instructors. Our high school artists have also enjoyed many cooperative endeavors with student artists from Reservior High School.