As we enter the 2022-23 school year, restrictions on bringing in outside artists placed earlier in the pandemic have been lifted. Art programs at the Hill are once again receiving specialized instruction and learning technique in addition to their usual curriculums. 

Woodworking students were recently visited by Marty Gerhart, local artist and father of Augustus Gerhart ’23,  who gave them in-person tutorial on power tools. In addition, they entered the world of collaborative nature sculpture. The class used sticks and driftwood they collected at Pottstown Riverfront Park to create a collective piece.  

“My dad was super flattered when Ms. Deery invited him to come teach. He was really happy to be able to share his passion and hopefully light a spark in our students’ daily lives,” Augustus Gerhart said, “Seeing him chase his passion inspired my sister and I to do the same. He taught me to never be afraid to make changes and that it’s okay to be different from my friends and have my own hobby.” 

In the Ellis Theatre Guild, 5th and 6th form students will be offered a monthly masterclass featuring special guests from Broadway, vocal performance, and beyond. This year’s theme is “The Hill School Presents the Hits!” in honor of Director of the CFTA Chris McGriff’s fifth year at Hill, the upcoming season looks promising. In the spring, 6th form theater students will travel to New York City. 

Similarly, there will be developments in vocal music. The H-Term choir will be participating in a joint concert with Princeton Girl choir on campus with Dr. Lynnel Joy Jenkins, a choral music educator who has conducted and lectured worldwide. They will also be performing with Dr. Derrick L. Thompson, assistant professor of music and director of choral activities at Albright College.  

“It was so fun to be able to learn a style of dance that we don’t usually cover in class. He walked us through every step,” Emma Herzog ’23 said, after being a member of one of two dance classes who received a visit from Frederick Johnson, who gave a masterclass in hip hop, freestyle, and African dance. 

Finally, over the week of October 17th, Studio Art students were taught about creating landscapes and cityscapes by a visiting artist, Cheryl Schlenker. Schlenker has accepted local, national, and international awards for her unusual view of mundane subject matter. Students worked diligently to learn her mixed media technique, combining the mediums of acrylic and collage. 

“I love seeing all the different types of art at Hill!” said Maria Halvey ‘26. 

All of these events bring much excitement to Hill’s campus so keep a lookout for upcoming events.