An action research project was designed to enhance the creativity and thinking skills of students in a studio art class at the secondary level. The project was conducted between September and December 2002 at a Catholic high school near an urban center. Data were collected using observations, surveys, and document analysis. The targeted population consisted of junior and senior high school students in a Catholic educational community committed to providing a quality liberal arts secondary education for young women. Evidence for existence of a problem included assessment of products created by students, observations of student conversations, their responses to suggestions and questions posed in class, and a review of student self reports of their progress related to problem solving. Students school wide were more vested in maintaining the status quo as opposed to experimenting creatively. The solution strategy selected for the project was focused on building student skills to enhance practical and unique ways for developing problem-solving strategies in the production of work. Through implementation of the new skill-building techniques, the problem context of motivational facets of art production, procrastination, lack of preparation, low self confidence, and the rigidity and negative impact of the school infrastructure were addressed. Based upon presentation and analysis of data designed for enhancing creativity and thinking skills, the students showed a minimal improvement in the development of problem solving skills. Eighteen appendixes contain study-related materials, such as consent forms, a student survey, questions, an observation form, an analysis form, an assessment form, and a growth checklist for creativity. (Contains 4 tables, 8 figures, and 33 references.) (Author/BT)