Gone are the days of prioritizing quantity over a high-quality creative process in art class. Since Westridge replaced AP Art in 2013 with Advanced Art Studio Practicum and Intensive—a pair of conceptually-driven courses that have evolved to become part of the Westridge Advanced Courses program—student artists have expanded their focus to developing their unique voices and exploring how their art fits into the cultural and historical context of the art world, all while undertaking a college-level art practice.

Unlike AP Art, which focuses student work on a single topic or medium, Advanced Art at Westridge encourages exploration and personal development along the journey. "Developing strong artworks and a robust portfolio of work is still a central part of AASI, but moving beyond the restrictions of AP Art has given us more flexibility in how students utilize their time, allowing their focus to shift toward honing their individual voices as artists and pursuing concepts and processes at a much deeper level," reflects David Prince, art department chair and former teacher of both AP Art and Advanced Art Studio.

Through project themes that are open to individual interpretation (this year’s prompts include “taking up space” and “the art of complaining”), Advanced Art Studio courses make space for exploring creation as it relates to students’ individual goals, identity, and passions. Isa H. '26, for example, began the class with a background in theater production and has since explored using overhead projection in multimedia art installations. Similarly, Lily J. '25 is embracing her interest in sustainability (she is also co-head of two sustainability-focused clubs on campus) through melting recycled glass in the kiln, etching images of nature using a laser, and cracking the glass to represent disruption.

To encourage the development of skills that will serve students in their own art practice—or other ventures, such as college courses or running a successful business—current Advanced Art Studio teachers Shannon Keller and Jenny Yurshansky use practical limitations: budget, time, and even the laws of physics. “The open-ended prompts push me to create work that challenges my technical abilities and creative imagination,” says Micah M. ‘25, who is in her second year of advanced art and taking the Intensive course. “[Time] restriction encourages me to trust my gut and approach each assignment confident in my vision.”

The courses encourage deep thinking, curiosity, and a high level of agency in students, who take on a key role in shaping how the class runs. Because the Practicum and Intensive courses meet together and maintain a small class size of about five, students in their second year take on a mentor role, modeling constructive critique, facilitating discussions, and managing the development of group exhibitions in addition to deepening their own art practice. “One of the cool things that happens in the group studio environment is that students really start to feed off of each other,” Prince says. “You’ll start to see repeated themes cross-pollinate… we’re all learning from each other and our ideas are expanding because of the community.”

In addition to hands-on creating, students study art history, welcome working artists into the classroom, and take trips to view art in Los Angeles, developing a crucial context that guides their journey to develop an authentic personal identity as an artist.

Reflecting on what makes Advanced Art Studio unique, Prince says it's a different experience for students than their other art classes because they can spend meaningful time iterating on one idea or one piece of work—a depth of learning rather than a breadth. While students still walk away from class with a full portfolio, Advanced Art Studio pushes students to create meaningful work rather than fulfill a quota. The Art Department’s mission, in part, is to “create space for students to learn to effectively communicate through art, with creative risk taking and problem-solving transcending disciplines,” aiming to “stimulate fresh perspectives, magnify subdued voices, and infuse our community with energy and inspiration”—things that are much more achievable through a Westridge Advanced Course.