Overview

Trinity Valley School provides a strongly grounded, classically oriented training in the arts. This provides not only an experience beneficial to all students, but a truly college-preparatory opportunity for those planning to have a career in the arts after graduation.

The role of the fine arts in a student’s education at Trinity Valley School is multifaceted. Creative thinking and problem solving are taught on a daily basis at all grade levels, in the visual arts, music, and theatre programs.

In the broadest sense, the fine arts perform the task of providing a cultural and societal framework in which to place more traditional academic elements.

Students literally become better citizens when viewing their world through the framework of historical and cultural accomplishments of humans throughout time. It further provides these future leaders of our society with the tools they will need to improve the general quality of life for all those around them. It is our society’s leaders, after all, who traditionally build and provide continuing support for our museums, symphonies, and other arts organizations. It is important for all students to understand the fundamental aspects of these disciplines.

It is through the arts curricula that the TVS student is presented with problems to which there are no particularly correct answers. The real value comes from elucidating any “correct” answer from all of the possible answers, at which point the learner is compelled to live with the results of that decision-making process. This is creativity. It is a tremendous asset in any endeavor from the sciences to mathematics to law and back again to the arts.  

Quality of our Faculty

• The Fine Arts faculty at TVS brings a multitude of credentials, talents, and abilities. Each faculty member is professionally active in his or her discipline and remains current in that field by attending workshops and presentations across the country and abroad.
• Two Upper School art instructors are practicing visual artists who have participated in local and regional art exhibits consistently for the past 15-20 years. Both have Masters degrees in their disciplines.
• TVS has four, full-time art faculty members who have previously taught college courses in addition to teaching a wide range of age levels. These colleges include TCU, UTA, UNT, Texas Wesleyan, Ohio State University, and Columbus College of Art & Design. They have also taught various extended-education classes and museum programs.
• The drama department consists of two faculty members who have worked in professional theatre and acted in plays locally and across the country. Both have international teaching experience.
• Our Shakespeare program directors performed scenes from Much Ado About Nothing on stage at the Globe in London, England.

Faculty Research

• Hilmsen, Germany 2010 – Janet Chaffee – Painting & drawing residency – Once Upon a Time… grant
• Anderson Ranch 2010 – Jo-Ann Mulroy & Marcy Roten – Photography workshop – Once Upon a Time… grant
• Santa Fe Clay 2011 – Jo-Ann Mulroy – Ceramic workshop – Professional Development
• Cliff House Studio 2012 – Entire visual arts department ceramic workshop – Professional Development
• Santa Fe Clay 2012 – Entire visual arts department ceramic workshop – Once Upon a Time… grant

Faculty Awards and Honors

• Jo-Ann Mulroy (Fine Arts Chair) received a Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction Award 2011 for excellence in teaching and for the encouragement of and dedication to the academic success of students at TVS.
• Gene Sessa (US Drama) received The Barry H. Friedman Hero Award from the Score-A-Goal in the Classroom organization for Outstanding Theatre Teacher in Tarrant County in 2011.

Alumni

Students are fully prepared for the academic rigor of college coursework after their fine arts experience at TVS. By graduation, they have developed a variety of constructive skills, critical thinking skills, and curiosity.

Students go on to some of the finest schools in the country to study architecture, design, industrial design, graphic arts, the visual arts, music, theatre, and more.

Some of the colleges that have accepted TVS graduates are the following:

• The Julliard School, NY
• The Cooper Union, NY
• Virginia Commonwealth, VA
• Southern Methodist University, TX
• Pratt, NY
• Maryland Art Institute, MD
• Savannah College of Art & Design, GA
• Washington University, St Louis, MO
• Cincinnati Conservatory, OH