Mr. Kline teaches different classes at Hamburg Area High School, and students take as many of his classes as they can. Art history teaches students how the different factors during a time period impact art, like any issues politically or economically can change how an art piece was made. As a single-semester class, art history focuses on art from the western civilization, and includes both juniors and seniors.
His art history class is only offered every four years, and it is a single semester class that fulfills the elective or fine arts credits. Students like Riley Mohn who are currently in Mr. Kline’s other classes are also currently taking art history and they are getting a new perspective on how he teaches and who he is. Riley’s favorite aspect of art history is that the class is not about whether the student is right or wrong, but rather, the student is providing proper insight on artwork. However, some students are only in one class of Mr. Kline’s, like Mason Starr. Mason Starr, a junior in Mr. Kline’s Art history class, took Mr. Kline’s Holocaust class last year, and recommends taking both classes to all students. Mason said the downside to art history is “it’s only half a year.” He enjoys the lectures and is a big fan of the art and simulations they cover in class.
Mr Kline truly enjoys teaching Art History because it helps him stay up-to-date on world history, since typically he is an American history teacher. As the teacher of Art History, Mr. Kline has familiarized himself with many artists and paintings, even learning to love paintings he once hated. Some of his favorite artists are Georges Seurat, Jacques-Louis David, and Paul Cézanne. He also enjoys Caravaggio, Albrect Dürer and Raphael. In fact, Mr. Kline says he would walk into the School of Athens by Raphael if he could. Everyone has their likes and dislikes, and some learn to enjoy paintings, like how Mr. Kline used to hate Jackson Pollock’s art, but is learning to love it now, along with art by Picasso.
For more information on Art history, visit the Program of Studies on the school website.
