Through thought-provoking field trips and visits from guest artists to campus, students learn how the arts can influence their lives beyond SMH. 

• Professional Design - Our yearbook and digital design students collaborate with alumni and other professionals in their fields to hone their skills. Working with professionals allows students to share in experiences not often found in academic settings.  The dedication pays off in awards and practical experience that students can use in college and beyond to build award-winning artwork and portfolios.

• Critical Acclaim - SMH digital cinema students' films are often recognized at high profile film festivals such as SXSW and the All American High School Film Festival in New York City. Photography students also get to show their work in nationally renowned spaces like the Parsons School for Design in New York, and students regularly win awards at the state and national level.

• Lights! Camera! Action! - Whether Digital Cinema students are filming live events, writing screenplays, or producing a film, it is extremely beneficial for them to interact and learn from professionals in their field. In the past, students have participated in a screenwriting boot camp with Hollywood Producer Chelsey Seals (Class of 1986) and spent hours in deep conversation with Film Producer Charlotte Barrett Rogers (Class of 2000). The organic conversations that ensue give students the chance to see what life is like for a working filmmaker, a perspective they never would have had otherwise.

• Studio Art - Every year photography and visual arts students come together to showcase their artistic talents. Artwork is displayed throughout the Marrs and Verna McLean Library, allowing the audience to enjoy a true art gallery experience. This collaborative effort is the perfect way for students to share their artistic abilities. 

• Cultural Exhibitions Influence Creativity Culture - Whether an artist is from New York, London, or Texas, they can often be found in shared exhibits throughout the community. Each year, Saint Mary’s Hall visual arts students visit art galleries and museums in San Antonio, Austin, Houston and New York as part of membership with the National Art Honor Society or through their AP Art History class.
• Experiencing Life as an Artist - Art is a part of everyday life when being an artist is your career. Understanding more in-depth processes and the intimate real life of an artist can be a life-changing experience for any young artist. As part of the Visual Arts Program, Upper School students are able to visit with working visual artists, like NYC-based Amy Yoes and Jorge Colombo. SMH student artists attend lectures, participate in art workshops, and learn more about the artists’ influences, which informs their own work as emerging artists.