In the words of Ralph A. Smith, "We can now discern the outlines of the problem: how to acquaint students with the aesthetic form of life in a manner that is not only ethically acceptable but also theoretically justifiable and pedagogically promising." This essay interrogates conventional assumptions about applications of art history in…

This article discusses Dr. Amalia Amaki and her approach to art as her signature style by turning everyday items into fine art. Amaki is an assistant professor of art, art history, and Black American studies at the University of Delaware. She loves taking unexpected an object and redefining it in the context of art--like a button, a fan, a faded…

The aim of this article is to reconsider the (age old) problem of relating theory to practice in art education by placing it within the largely ignored context of improvisation. In so doing it is hoped that some of the well-known "difficulties" art practitioners have when confronted with the (usually mandatory) history and theory components of…

In 1939, Texas artist Alexandre Hogue completed "The Crucified Land," a striking comparison of water erosion on a Denton, Texas, wheat farm to the martyrdom of Jesus of Nazareth. "The Crucified Land" was originally intended as the final canvas of Hogue's "Erosion" series, which the artist began in 1932 as a…

This article reviews several movements in late 19th and early 20th century art and psychological research that are related to the early Greek method of proportional analysis generally known as the Golden Section. The document discusses the work of the artist Jay Hambidge on the nature of Greek art and design and his theory of dynamic symmetry.…

Describes Getty Center for Education in the Arts, which espouses the ideas and skills of art production, art history, art criticism, and aesthetics and involves four activities related to the visual arts: (1) creating art, (2) perceiving and responding to art works, (3) understanding the place of art in culture and history, and (4) making reasoned…

Presents an art history class that incorporates writing (primarily poetry) to complement the study of art as expression. (HTH)

The author of this article is an art specialist at Whiteford Elementary School in Sylvania, Ohio. Following a visit to a Paul Klee exhibition, she cut out all the miniature examples from the exhibition flyer in order to make six art pins. She then wore a different pin each day at both her elementary and high school assignments with amazing…

Matisse's use of bright colors and strong pattern is an instant motivator for elementary students. He effectively balances colors and simple shapes. This lesson, designed for 3rd graders, is an example of how art studio experiences for young students can draw upon art history. Sections include: (1) Discovering Patterns; (2) Planning Special…

The Fon live in the southern part of the People's Republic of Benin. They inhabit an area about the size of Connecticut. To this day, many Fon are farmers. They plant yams, corn, and cotton, and cultivate palm trees that produce palm oil. Ancient beliefs in spirits and natural powers (called vodun) that govern the world and provide a spiritual…

In this article, the author takes a look back at several scholars of the 1960s (Vincent Lanier, June King McFee, and Corita Kent) and their contributions to the discussion of visual culture in art education. He asserts that, though these scholars were not successful in implementing changes within their own time, their ideas provide powerful…

Almazan, a pioneering painter and graphic artist, played a major role in the development of Chicano art in San Antonio. He was admitted into the Men of Art Guild, the preeminent Texas art group, when he was nineteen years old.

Aubrey Beardsley's involvement with the literary magazine, "The Yellow Book," is described. While there were some other literary magazines published before "The Yellow Book", its issues are distinguished because they were the first to deliberately present visual art work (and the visual artist) as equally important as…

This paper traces some of the early 20th century roots of aesthetic formalism as they came to effect the development of art education theory and practice in this country up to the beginning of the Second World War. The paper focuses on American sources and on the writings and ideas of Benman Ross, Arthur Wesley Dow, J. Hambidge, Albert C. Barnes,…

This report of the Commission on Preservation and Access Seminar on Scholarly Resources in Art History provides a brief overview of the major concerns and assumptions of the seminar. Seminar discussions are then summarized in the following areas: (1) brittle books, including the deterioration of valuable research tools and primary sources and the…