Visual Arts

The Ceramics Studio is typically filled with students immersed in a wide range of creative projects throughout the school year. On Tuesday, January 27, that creative energy extended beyond the classroom, as faculty, staff, and students gathered for the annual Empty Bowls Open Studio to craft ceramic bowls in support of a meaningful cause.

“Empty Bowls is a worldwide community event that different art studios and organizations host,” said Nell Yates, ceramics teacher and visual arts department chair. “The whole mission is using local art to support food banks and to support this idea of outreach for hunger and for people who are food insecure.”

Empty Bowls is a global grassroots movement of artists addressing hunger, with events hosted by schools, potters’ guilds, and studios around the world. Yates brought the initiative to Viewpoint eight years ago, weaving it into the ceramics curriculum as a service-learning project. Each ceramics student creates at least one bowl, and often several, as part of their coursework, while also reflecting on what it means to use art as a form of service.

“It’s not just about their ability to make a bowl,” Yates said. “They do a reflection and think about what it means to give art in a different way. To have art benefit people they haven’t even met and to understand this idea of art for service is a whole new concept for them.”

In addition to ceramics students, the school’s CORE (Community OutReach for Everyone) program plays a key role in bringing the event to life. CORE students earn service hours by helping sell tickets, scoop ice cream, and support event logistics, while also gaining exposure to service in a creative context.

“Service can look all different ways,” Yates said. “Making art isn’t necessarily something students would link to being an act of service, so it’s powerful for them to see that connection.”

Sadie Kieffer ’26, a board leader of CORE, said the Open Studio highlights how widely the event brings people together.

“I think this aspect of the open studio is so wonderful to see, everybody from the community coming together,” Kieffer said. “Alumni, parents, faculty, usually some admin will come. And also people who aren’t necessarily super involved in the arts get a chance to do something fun for an afternoon. And it’s for a good cause.”

The Empty Bowls project culminates in a campus-wide ice cream social and fundraiser, scheduled for March 17. Tickets will be sold in the two weeks leading up to the event, with all proceeds benefiting West Valley Food Pantry. 

For those who were unable to attend the Open Studio on January 27, Yates encourages community members to reach out.

“It’s all I want in the world for people to come and feel like they can try it,” she said. “Especially if they come with a student who does ceramics, it’s so meaningful to have that role reversal and let students teach something they care about.”

On Tuesday, November 12, Viewpoint School unveiled “The Art of the Poppy,” its first all-school art installation, created to honor veterans and commemorate Veterans Day. Faculty, students, and honored guests gathered around the vibrant field of poppies in a moving display of unity and gratitude for the sacrifices of those who served.

The event took place at the Sky Trail entrance, bridging Viewpoint’s Middle and Upper School campuses, where more than 1,000 hand-crafted ceramic poppies are on display. Created by students, faculty, and staff from every grade level, each poppy represents a unique tribute to a veteran, collectively forming a lasting symbol of remembrance throughout our school.

“I am so proud of ‘The Art of the Poppy’ and the way it has united our community,” said Nell Yates, Visual Arts Department Chair. “This installation represents the creative talents of our students and staff, each honoring a special veteran in their lives. It’s a powerful way for us to come together and pay tribute to those who have protected our freedoms.”

Head of School Mark McKee opened the ceremony, expressing pride in the community’s dedication to honoring veterans. Following his opening remarks, Middle School student Eden Flachs ’29 introduced the Upper School Concert Choir, inviting the audience to stand as the choir performed a moving rendition of the National Anthem. Afterward, Brendan Rubinstein ’29 led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance.

“As we honor our veterans, we reflect on the values they embody: service, integrity, and community, values we strive to instill in our students,” said Mark McKee, Head of School. “Veterans Day reminds us of the sacrifices made to protect our freedoms, inspiring us to nurture future leaders committed to making a positive impact. It is my hope that ‘The Art of the Poppy’ will serve as a lasting symbol of our gratitude for generations to come.”

Introduced by Lower School student Alaya Purnomo ’32, City of Calabasas Mayor Alicia Weintraub took the stage, shortly after to present a proclamation, recognizing Viewpoint’s meaningful tribute. The event drew esteemed guests, including City Councilmen David Shapiro and Ed Albrecht, and Kate Vega, District Representative for California Congresswoman Julia Brownley.

Upper School student and Eagle Scout candidate William Chapin read the poem “In Flanders Fields,” and Viewpoint recognized employee veterans Kathy Carle, Connor Ferreira, Laurie Golnick, Dean Kalogris, David Kiser, and Clemente Nava, who came forward to plant the final poppies in the field. Nell Yates then performed the ribbon cutting, officially opening “The Art of the Poppy” installation, which will serve as a lasting tribute to honor veterans for years to come.

For more on "The Art of the Poppy," read the Daily News article here and watch the ABC7 Los Angeles news clip below. 

Our canyon was filled with music, laughter and joy on Saturday, June 1, at Viewpoint’s annual Arts Fest event. Community members of all ages were inspired by the creativity and talent among our TK-12 students in the areas of music, film, art, theatre, and dance. 

Founded in 2018 by Music Department Chair Dr. Kristin Herkstroeter, Arts Fest was created with the vision of bringing together all students in a single inclusive event to showcase a year's worth of artistic achievements from all disciplines across campus.

“This is a great culminating event that allows us to celebrate everything we do in the Arts without tying our performance to a specific holiday,” explained Dr. Kristin Herkstroeter, Music Department Chair and creator of Arts Fest. She emphasized, “All of our arts start in Primary School, planting seeds early on in music, visual art, dance, and theater productions. From there, we continuously nurture and grow our students' artistic talents.”

This year’s Arts Fest offered an afternoon filled with music in the canyon, visual art displays and demos, scenes from this year's musical and theater productions, screenings of award-winning student films, and a showcase of the dance program. Entrance to the event was free, with all activities taking place in the Middle and Upper School indoor and outdoor campus areas. A variety of food, including savory and sweet options, were available for purchase.

"Arts Fest is a highlight of the school year for me as a parent of a performer at Viewpoint. It's thrilling to see my son, Julian ’25, engage in various artistic activities the school provides space and encouragement for,” said Joan Dans, Viewpoint Parent. “My favorite part is rushing from one performance space to another, out of breath but excited, knowing my son is happy doing what he loves with friends. I'm grateful to Viewpoint for fostering such a vibrant arts community."

As this school year draws to a close, events like Arts Fest spotlight our students' accomplishments and the unwavering support of the Viewpoint community.

It’s awards season at Viewpoint School and 91 of our Middle and Upper School students were ready for their close-up at two ceremonies held in the Carlson Family Theater. At the end of every school year, our faculty and administrators recognize the outstanding academic, athletic, and artistic abilities of our students, in addition to leadership and community service efforts. With an audience of proud parents and friends, our department and division heads presented certificates, plaques, flowers, and special stipends to our deserving students. At the Upper School Awards Ceremony, representatives from the Calabasas Chamber of Commerce were on hand to present a special business studies award.

“I want to thank our students for inspiring us, aspiring to the expectations we establish and often leaping way over and past them,” said Mark McKee, Head of School. “Additionally, the invaluable support provided by our Viewpoint parents in our students’ success does not go unnoticed. Thank you for the work that you do in supporting the work that we do here at Viewpoint School.”

Also known around campus as “clapping season,” Head of Upper School Alan Howie encouraged students to give their parents a round of applause.

“Know that your parents are incredibly proud of you. Know that when you succeed they feel that a thousand times more than you do,” said Howie. “Know that when you step up on this stage, it brings them incredible joy. Know that your hard work means a lot.” 

Congratulations to the following award recipients:

Upper School:

• George Alcantar Jr. ’24 - VSSA Social Justice, Ethics, and Leadership Award

• Daniyar Ali ’24 - National Merit, Music Award

• Alivia Alva ’24 - National Merit

• Max Allison ’25 - Latin Award

• Avrick Altmann ’24 - National Merit, Physics Award

• Ethan Argano-Rush ’24 - Technical Theatre Award

• Austin Basch ’24 - Calabasas Chamber of Commerce Award

• Sophia Barnes ’25 - Dance Award

• Jessica Cao ’24 - Arthur B O’Leary

• Shawn Ching ’25 - Digital Art Piece of the Year, English Award

• Doreen Choroomi ’24 - Community Service 

• Oluyeni Denloye ’24 - Athletics Award

• Naomi Engle ’24 - National Merit

• Sundiata Enuke ’24 - Film Department Award, VSSA Social Justice, Ethics, and Leadership Award

• Jack Fasching ’24 - Advanced Math Award

• Noah Fox ’25 - Computer Science and Design Award

• Kaylee Foxhoven ’25 - Sculpture of the Year

• Sam Green ’25 - Zaki Gordon '94 Film Award, Thelma B. Sitton

• Jude Holling ’24 - Cooper Scholar-Athlete Award, Salutatorian

• Julianna Hughes ’24 - National Merit, Valedictorian

• Zooey Jeong ’25 - Environmental Science Award, Handley Award for American Studies, Chinese Award

• Alexa Jeong ’25 - English Language and Composition Award

• Ella Katz ’25 - French Award

• Sadie Kieffer ’26 - Upper School Student of the Year

• Violet Kaltman ’24 - Mary Carpenter Award for Arts

• Devan Kumar ’24 - AP Statistics Award

• Riley Lashever ’24 - VSSA Service Award

• Cici Liu ’24 - Picture of the Year, Barbara Exum Art Award, Computer Science and Design Award, Band Award

• Emma Lake ’25 - English Award

• Kasey Lee ’24 - Athletics Award

• Mia Rappaport ’25 - Sculpture of the Year

• Laurel Eith ’24 - Vocal Award, Theatre Award

• Layla Nassab ’25 - Spanish Award

• Amelia Newman ’25 - Computer Science and Design Award

• Izzy Parsky ’25 - Sculpture of the Year

• Mia Rappaport ’25 - Sculpture of the Year

• Kaylyn Robertson ’24 - National Merit, AP Calculus Award

• Kasey Lee ’24 - Athletics Award

• Lina Saley ’25 - Ceramic Piece of the Year, Chemistry Award

• Megan Shaw ’26 - Meryl Staley Performing Arts Award/Scholarship

• Azim Stack ’24 - National Merit

• Jarrett Walker ’24 - Biology Award

• Joshua Wang ’25 - Advanced Math Award

• William Yao ’24 - National Merit

• August Yin ’24 - National Merit

• Maryn Yokoyama ’25 - Social Studies Award

• Grace Zhu ’24 - Photograph of the Year

Middle School:

• Sixth Grade

  • Devon Chang ’30 - Mandarin Chinese

  • Dragon Chang ’30 - Mathematics, English

  • Leah Hirsh ’30 - Spanish

  • Ely Horenstein ’30 - Science

  • Colin Pan ’30 - Science, Social Studies

  • Grace Rasmussen-Nilsen ’30 - Instrumental Music

  • Usha Sarvaiya ’30 - Instrumental Music, Social Studies

  • Arwen Schaffer ’30 - Latin

  • Gabriella Scher ’30 - English, Choir

  • Jai Shivakumar ’30 - Mathematics

  • Delilah Teshinsky ’30 - French
     

• Seventh Grade

  • Alex Darway ’29 - Science

  • Rinya Dilg ’29 - Latin

  • Alyssa Go ’29 - Mandarin Chinese

  • Peyton Goto-Lynch ’29 - Computer Science & Design

  • Asher Hakakha ’29 - Mathematics, Social Studies

  • Finn Harrington ’29 - Dance

  • Ruby Jacobs ’29 - Social Studies

  • Ethan Kim ’29 - Mathematics

  • Madison Kim ’29 - Science, French

  • Moses Kimock ’29 - Film & Video

  • Henry McMellen ’29 - Computer Science & Design

  • Dempsey Palmer ’29 - English

  • Annabelle Rosen ’29 - Spanish

  • Brendan Rubinstein ’29 - English

  • Simone Rudnicki ’29 - Photography
     

• Eighth Grade

  • Jacob Artof ’28 - Jazz Laboratory

  • Kayla Boudai ’28 - Spanish

  • William Bradway ’28 - Computer Science & Design

  • Noah Bush ’28 - Computer Science & Design

  • Els Collier-Ream ’28 - Mathematics

  • Phoebe Donlon ’28 - Theatre Arts

  • Elise Fleming ’28 - Theatre Arts, Service Learning Award

  • Rowan Green ’28 - Science, Social Studies, Student of the Year Award

  • Madeline Lee ’28 - Social Studies

  • Anya Luo ’28 - English

  • Sofia Massie ’28 - Art

  • Skylar Meehan ’28 - Film & Video

  • Ved Reddy ’28 - Mathematics

  • Roux Sanders ’28 - Art

  • Ellen Su ’28 - Ceramics, Science

  • Dio Sweney ’28 - Latin

  • Kayla Timmons ’28 - Orchestra, Mandarin Chinese

  • Isabella Wang ’28 - French

  • Evie Wilkins ’28 - Vocal Ensemble

  • Ella Wright ’28 - English, Concert Winds, Scholar of the Year Award