Grades 6-12; Boarding 8-12

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Caroline Hall, Arts Department Chair

Ms. Caroline Hall, an art teacher at The Pennington School since 2002, has made an indelible mark on the school’s art program. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Fine Arts from SUNY Geneseo in New York and later completed her Master’s degree in art and design education at the Pratt Institute. Before joining Pennington, Ms. Hall spent a year teaching at her own high school in her native town of Arcade (near Buffalo). It was during this time that she was able to teach alongside her former teacher, Mr. Miller, who years earlier had sparked her love for ceramics and painting.

Initially joining Pennington as a maternity-leave replacement, Ms. Hall has taken on a variety of leadership roles at the school. She served as a dorm head for Buck Hall and spent several years as the assistant director of residential life. For the past two years, Ms. Hall has chaired Pennington’s Arts Department, overseeing not just art, but also music and theater. She currently teaches a variety of classes, including Art I, II, III, IV, and AP Studio Art.

Ms. Hall's teaching philosophy emphasizes interdisciplinary learning, as seen in her co-creation of unique courses like MAHA (Modern History and Art), which she developed and co-taught with a collection of history teachers over the years such as Ms. Gretchen Overhiser, Mr. Jason Harding, Ms. Holly Jones, Dr. Tiernan Close, and Mr. Peter Walsh. Another beloved course is Art-o-Rama, a Middle School class blending art and drama. Co-created by Ms. Lisa Houston and Ms. Dolores Eaton, Ms. Hall co-taught this hands-on class for nearly 20 years. She believes in the importance of showing students that art is not an isolated discipline, but interconnected with all aspects of learning.

Ms. Hall’s involvement in the local art community further demonstrates her commitment to both teaching and creating art. A longtime member of the Hopewell Valley Arts Council, she participates annually in the region’s pumpkin-carving festival, even winning "Best-in-Show" four years ago. She and her students also took part in the “Stampede of Oxen,” an initiative that resulted in Pennington’s beautifully painted Arty the Ox, which proudly stands in front of the Campus Center.

Another notable project Ms. Hall participated in was "Out of the Ashes: Art Emerging from Fallen Trees," a tribute to the ash trees lost in the past five years to an invasive beetle. As part of the initiative, she adopted an 8-foot-long piece of ash wood and transformed it into a work of art. Proceeds from these works, aptly called ArtSpires, have helped to raise money for the local arts community.

Most recently, Ms. Hall joined her colleague Mr. Jameson Moore in the Hopewell Valley Arts Council’s Tour des Arts, and then exhibited a few of her paintings throughout October at the OttoBurger gallery in Hopewell. This exhibition follows her earlier work in Pennington’s own Silva Gallery, where she presented a collection titled "Nature and Experience" alongside Ms. Eaton and Mr. Mark Ross.

Ms. Hall’s personal artwork often centers on themes of nature—flowers, trees, and people she encounters. However, she encourages her students to explore whatever subjects speak to them, whether it be faces, places, or objects. Her goal is to teach students not only to focus on their central subject but also to notice what’s happening around it, a skill she believes applies to any field they may pursue.

Her students’ successes reflect the lasting impact of her teaching. Many of Ms. Hall’s former students have pursued careers in art education, architecture, graphic design, painting, fashion, photography, and even makeup artistry. Some have returned to Pennington to assist with classes or critique student work, while others have taught in the Summers at Pennington program and have served as long-term substitute teachers.

Outside the classroom, Ms. Hall enjoys life on campus with her husband Matt and young son Thaddeus in Becher Hall. In fact, Matt is the baker behind the brownies which Becher residents occasionally enjoy!

With her dedication to both art and her students, Ms. Caroline Hall continues to inspire creativity and passion within the Pennington community!