The National Visual Arts Standards (NVAS) present ways for students in the United States to create, present, respond, and connect to the world of art and artmaking. This article focuses on the practices of one visual arts educator, Educator A, who taught in a state-sponsored specialist music high school, guided by the following question: "How…

Advocacy is not new to art education. Over the years, Goldfarb (1979), Hodsoll (1985), and Erickson and Young (1996) have written about the importance of arts advocacy, but the concept of advocacy has evolved with the times. For example, in the 1970s, arts advocacy was described as a "movement" and brought together art educators,…

A result of the industrial age was a short-lived but powerful new American art movement called Precisionism, most evident in painting, but visible also in drawing, photography, and print-making, focusing on industrial and mechanical subjects. Precisionism originated in the 1920s, allied with European Cubism's fascination with shape and geometric…

When displayed in museums and classrooms, Renaissance-era (1420-1600) painting, architecture, and drawing masterworks are often decontextualized from the social reality of the Academy system under which they were produced. For centuries, the artworks of the Italian Renaissance have seduced viewers with technical mastery, exquisite pigments, and…

Ideas are starting points-for thought, discussion, reading, viewing, writing, and making. The two "brainstorms on paper" presented in this article illustrate how taking an idea and examining it from an artistic point of view can generate thematic starting points to help teachers and students connect the visual arts to ideas that ripple across the…

This tongue-in-cheek article calls for the critical reexamination of the history of modern art. The author believes that modern art is neither an extension of the Renaissance aesthetic nor a collective by-product of artists possessed of creative genius. Creators of modern art were actually representational artists suffering from visual stuttering.…

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…

Presents an art lesson for grades 4 through 6 based on the wooden sculpture entitled Daruma. Daruma was the founder of religion of Zen Buddhism. The lesson's goals are to introduce student to Buddhist legends and to cultivate respect for a culture different from their own. (BR)

The initial efforts of the Getty Center for Education in the Arts center on developing more holistic art teaching. Projects include case studies in twelve school districts; educational programs for teachers, administrators, and school board members; applying electronic media to art education; and using the Getty museum to educate visitors. (IS)

Defines art history by examining visual and contextual information and distinguishes between the fine and applied arts. Discusses scientific neutrality and the personal and social uses of art. Concludes that it is impossible for art historians to be truly objective, but this should not be problematic because art historians interpret art works for…

Presents four classroom lessons designed for elementary and secondary students based on paintings in the Amon Carter Museum in Fort Worth, Texas. Provides an overall goal, specific objectives, background of the painting, and suggestions for discussion and activities for each painting. Includes full-page color prints of each painting. (CFR)

Claims that contemporary artists in Western society are obsessed with their careers and fail to approach art as total human beings. Cites three instances in which the latter has happened. Recognizes the experiential nature of learning in studio art and argues that artists/teachers are obligated to ground students' art experiences in praxis. (KM)

Offers an art lesson designed to introduce junior high school students to a Shiva sculpture and to Hindu symbolism. The lesson is based on a full-color photograph of a 500 year-old bronze sculpture entitled Shiva Nataraja, King of Dancers. (BR)

Throughout European history, artists have celebrated the values of their patrons. Today, the schools are the largest employer of artists. To justify art education according to current Back-to-Basics values, art teachers should explain visual art as a language, which they can teach students to read and use. (SJL)

Maintains that in recent years there has been an increasing interest in the history of art education and art education associations. Describes how the Texas Art Education Association has collected and documented material from its past. Points out that art education students can use this information to place current trends in perspective. (KM)