By U'Lee Brown

At Portland Adventist Academy (PAA), art education is flourishing in ways that prepare students for far more than creative expression. In a time when arts programs are being cut in many schools, PAA has chosen to strengthen its commitment to art—infusing it with technology, cross-disciplinary learning, and practical life skills.

Under the guidance of long-time teacher Jim Hughes, students explore an expansive world of artistic media and tools. Beyond paint and photography, they engage with clay, wood, metal, fused glass, fabric, and more. The classroom is equipped with a 3D printer, plasma cutter, welding and blacksmithing tools, a kiln, sewing machines, and woodworking equipment. Even poetry and mold-casting with polymers find their place in the curriculum.

PAA is excited to have been awarded a Versacare grant this spring. The grant will ensure that equipment is kept updated to include technological advances and increase the diversity of experience by updating cameras, adding specialized artistic lenses, diversifying our welding offerings, and increasing the opportunity for clay design and creativity.

But this program goes deeper than hands-on learning. It integrates math, chemistry, and problem-solving and supports the learning that happens in other disciplines by allowing the practical application of theories from those disciplines. Students discover that craftsmanship takes time, effort, and perseverance—important lessons for both art and life.

By embracing both traditional techniques and cutting-edge tools, PAA’s art department offers students a space to grow in skill, character, and confidence. It’s not just about what they create—it's about who they become in the process.

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