VISUAL ARTS  |  INFO

First contact the teacher of the class. If you're not getting a response or need more assistance, contact Natalie Spevak, Assistant Principal, at Spevak_Natalie@lacoe.edu or Tina Vartanian, Assistant Principal, at vartanian_tina@lacoe.edu. If you need further help addressing an issue, reach out to John Lawler, Principal, at Lawler_John@lacoe.edu

First contact the teacher of the class. If you have questions or an issue that has not been resolved, contact Barry Markowitz , Department Co-Chair, at barry.markowitz@sbcglobal.net

Contact your class's counselor: for the Classed of 2023 and 2024, Contact Princess Broussard at Broussard_Princess@lacoe.edu. And for the Classes of 2021 and 2022, contact Irma Dilullo at Dilullo_Irma@lacoe.edu

Students should photograph EVERY piece they make. These photographs do not need to be done by a professional. Get an easel, a white backboard, a tripod and decent digital camera. Take three photos of each piece by changing the lighting. Keep these photos for your Senior Seminar class and for your portfolio. - Barry Markowitz, VA Department Co-Chair and Teaching Artist

Yes. VA Art Shows are a celebration of art and LACHSA student artists, and there is no entrance charge to come into the gallery shows. The shows and exhibits are open to the public and accessible to anyone interested in seeing the art. Donations at the events are always welcome, and proceeds go directly to replenishing supplies for the students.

Visual Arts students should focus on their work at LACHSA and enjoy their time being teenagers during their 9th and 10th grades. In 11th grade, they can begin to learn about some of the schools and options available to them by signing up for and attending the college visits sponsored by the department, by spending thoughtful time at the LACHSA College Fair, and by creating and saving their work that could be possible portfolio contenders. In 12th grade, VA students will be guided through the college and portfolio process in their Senior Seminar class.

All of the artwork on this website is done by LACHSA Visual Arts students.

LACOE, the Los Angeles County Office of Education, is the nation's largest regional education agency. Under the leadership of Los Angeles County Superintendent of Schools, it supports 80 public school districts and numerous other agencies for the region's two million preschool and school-age children. It also oversees LACHSA.

At first this may be a bit confusing, but here's a brief explanation: LACOE, the Los Angeles County Office of Education gives LACHSA money through their state funded budget. This money covers the academic, administrative, and physical plant portion of the school as well as a portion of the arts component. When the Visual Arts Department needs to purchase an item using some of this pre-determined annual budget, they must submit a purchase order, wait for approval before they can order an item, and buy items at pre-approved sites. There is a time component to this process that precludes purchasing items that are needed right away, or items and repairs that come up unexpectedly. This is why the Parent Team has established a Supplies & Repair Fund (see the Donate page on this website) to take care of these immediate needs. The LACHSA Foundation raises money to pay for the bulk of the art component of LACHSA. Their main goal is to help bridge the gap between State funding and the actual costs of operating the first-rate quality arts programs at LACHSA. In addition to the generous individual donations they receive, they raise a substantial amount of money through grants. Without their work, LACHSA's art programs would not be sustainable. A grant is more likely to be awarded if the percentage of LACHSA parents who contribute to the LACHSA Foundation is high (regardless of the amount of the donation, even $1 will equal an additional percentage point.) The point here is that giving even a small gift to the Foundation will make an impact and support their work to support our school. If you haven't made a contribution this year, please do. Parents Association also raises money (usually by asking for $70 from each family during Registration) for the various activities support, which include: Orientation and Registration (Fall and New Student in Spring) Teacher Appreciation College Fair Monthly Coffee with the Principal Meetings Parent Education Presentations Community Events (like documentary screenings) Student Scholarships (Prom, AP exams, Graduation Activities, Arts opportunities) The VA Parent Team asks for an annual $40-50 donation to the VA Appreciation Fund for two purposes each year: VA Teacher Appreciation (including a dinner for the VA faculty,) and a full department celebration at the end of the year to honor the current VA Senior Class. The money is collected by the VA Parent Coordinator via Paypal. To contribute, use the link below.