From Sensory Exploration to Professional Exhibition
A 15-year artistic journey through the IB continuum at Golden Valley School, Costa Rica.
Explore the JourneyA 15-Year Artistic Journey
Visual arts at Golden Valley begin with a Montessori child exploring color and texture through natural materials -- and culminate with a Diploma Programme student presenting a professional exhibition of their artistic body of work. Across the IB continuum, every student develops visual literacy, creative thinking, and the ability to express their understanding of the world through art.
Montessori
Ages 3-5PYP
Grades 1-5MYP
Grades 6-10DP
Grades 11-12The Visual Arts Continuum
Montessori — Ages 3-5
Sensory Art & Creative Exploration
In our Montessori environment, art develops sensitivity, expression, and emotional connection. Children explore color, texture, and form through hands-on creative play with natural materials -- building the foundation for a lifetime of visual expression.
- Sensory exploration with natural and recycled materials
- Color mixing, texture discovery, and form creation
- Process-focused art integrated with practical life activities
- Portfolio documentation of creative growth
PYP -- Grades 1-5
Art as a First Language
Our primary arts course awakens plastic skills and artistic abilities through experimentation. Students are immersed in creative processes that allow them to develop their individual interests, exploring the world of art as a living, breathing practice. We work across a wide range of artistic techniques — giving every child the tools to build their own world of possibilities for expression.
"Art is the tool to speak, express, and love."
- Experimentation with diverse artistic techniques and media
- Creative processes that develop individual interests and identity
- Drawing, painting, collage, printmaking, sculpture, and mixed media
- PYP Exhibition — art as visible thinking and personal inquiry
MYP -- Grades 6-10
Art as Identity & Critical Voice
Our secondary arts course challenges students to develop their own artistic identity through visual arts, grounded in the ethical principles of the IB learner profile. Learning becomes a meaningful process that fosters critical and creative thinking — opening space for exploration and experimentation. Students engage with contemporary art history, the great vanguards, and the movements that have shaped how we see the world today.
- Personal artistic identity grounded in IB learner profile values
- Critical and creative thinking through artistic practice
- Contemporary art history and avant-garde movements
- Personal Project (Grade 10) — independent creative work
DP -- Grades 11-12
IB Visual Arts — Art as Inquiry
The IB Visual Arts course centers fundamentally on critical and creative thinking. Students develop inquiry into the very process of artistic learning — experimenting, conceptualizing, and acquiring a deep set of technical and analytical skills. Ideas are not just executed; they are lived in a visual language that evolves through individual and collective exploration over two years.
Three Assessed Components:
Art That Connects Communities
UNESCO RedPEA
As part of the UNESCO Associated Schools Network (RedPEA), Golden Valley integrates Cultural Heritage Projects into the visual arts curriculum. Students research and document Costa Rican traditions through artistic expression, connecting local identity with global understanding.
COEEPI Collaborative Mural
Our student-led COEEPI commission has created remarkable artistic connections with indigenous communities. Students traveled to Sixaola to create a collaborative mural with local communities -- visual arts as a bridge between cultures and a vehicle for social action.
German Program Exhibitions
The German Program contributes lapbooks, comics, research projects, and creative exhibitions -- connecting European and Latin American visual traditions through artistic cross-cultural expression and multilingual creativity.
The Exhibition Pathway
The DP Visual Arts Exhibition is the pinnacle of the K-12 journey. Over two years, students move through a rigorous process of research, experimentation, and curation -- culminating in a professional gallery presentation.
Research & Inspiration
Students investigate artists, movements, and cultural contexts that inform their creative direction.
Experimentation
Extensive exploration of techniques, materials, and ideas documented in the Process Portfolio.
Resolved Works
Finished artworks that demonstrate technical skill, conceptual depth, and personal artistic voice.
Professional Exhibition
A curated gallery presentation open to the school community, families, and public audiences.
Experience Visual Arts at Golden Valley
Visit our campus to see student exhibitions, tour our art studios, and experience the creative culture that defines Golden Valley School. Schedule a campus tour or explore the latest arts news.
