How to help elementary art students use form in their work to convey desired feelings is discussed. Awareness of the qualities of form is essential for effective expression. (RM)

Maintains that the way arts education assessment, outcomes, and standards are specified has the potential to shape arts education both positively and negatively. Argues that current approaches are fragmented, decontextualized, and inefficient. Recommends a holistic approach combining discipline-based art education with a more intellectually…

Asserts that aesthetic questions and aesthetic understanding provide the framework for learning in art. Contrasts formalism (the belief that art exists for its own sake) with contextualism (the belief that art is part of a social communication system). Maintains that a balanced art program should incorporate both approaches. (MJP)

Characterizes much of the current postmodernist art design as capricious and self-indulgent. Explicates three fundamental concepts from the modernist school: a notion of order; clarity of form and space; and significant contrast. Criticizes current design for its emphasis on novelty and systematic violation. (MJP)

Provides four lesson plans using discipline-based art education techniques to examine the content and technique of a series of art works portraying Texas. The lesson plans use "mind mapping" (nonlinear visualization of a concept or idea easily linked to others). Includes background information on artists Bruno Andrade, Dennis Blagg,…

A sampling of artworks created by senior high art students is presented. The works show that there is a lot of superior artwork being produced by teenagers. (RM)

A student arts festival that involved elementary and secondary students in drawing with chalk on a city block in New York City is described. Portraiture, cartoons, landscapes, abstractions, and inventive personal logos filled the huge canvas of the street in a virtual smorgasbord. (RM)

Describes the functions, styles, and methods of creating medieval tapestries. Illustrates a narrative tapestry titled "The Prophecy of Nathan," attributed to Master Philip. Describes how textile artists' personal styles can be recognized. Suggests art activities for elementary and secondary students. (KM)

Presents background material, suggested teaching activities, and four color plates illustrating the folk art of the Oceania islands (Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia). The background material is incorporated into an interview with two Oceanic art specialists from Indiana University who discuss the culture of the islands. (MJP)

Article focused on the technique of creating batik prints, which while stirring student interest, were hung in school halls as part of the permanent collection of student work. (Author/RK)

Through play, children draw ideas from their own experiences and create exciting works of art. Materials and methods that can be used in the classroom to help children play are described. (CS)

Henri Matisse painted "Open Window, Collioure" in the summer of 1905, when he and Andre Derain worked together in Collioure (France), a small Mediterranean fishing port near the Spanish border. This teaching guide discusses the painting "Open Window, Collioure" and Matisse's use of light and vibrant color. The guide provides…

An art program for elementary students based on the construction of a Japanese toy called a Daruma focused on another culture, yet taught basic skills and developed self-expression. Darumas are papier-mache faces. (AM)

Describes ways teachers can use picture books to help children develop their own solutions to art problems. Students are encouraged not to copy pictures but to study artists' techniques and apply them to their own work. A bibliography of useful picture books and other references is included. (AM)