The art of looking is a museum and art gallery teaching tool at the core of the Visual Thinking Strategies, a Harvard School of Education pedagogy initiated as an educational experiment for schools across the United States almost two decades ago. Today, a large number of schools implement this teaching method to increase student engagement in a…

This paper attempts to give an account of some innovative work in paintings and modern poetry and to show how modern poets, such as Jane Flanders and Anne Sexton, the two American poets in particular, express and develop radically new conventions for their respective arts. Also elaborated are how such changes in artistic techniques are related to…

Guidelines for talking about art with elementary students are presented. A critical factor in developing children's art talk experiences is an organized, well rounded, and well developed plan that recognizes the differences between talk about student art and more general talk about professional art. (RM)

Past uses of art reproductions in schools and mass media publications are described, along with political, economic, and aesthetic issues raised by such usage. The presentation focuses on concerns associated with present and future educational use of reproductions, whether electronic or some other form. Issues of selectivity and aesthetics are…

Though reproductions are a necessary teaching tool, they are not substitutes for the original work of art. Through museum visits, students can be provided with the knowledge needed to experience art. By describing, analyzing, and evaluating the works of art, students become aware of the differences between originals and reproductions. (CS)

Line, shape, color and texture have always been the universal components of visual expression. Together these elements form a visual language. This packet is designed to be used as part of the Thematic Tour "First Look" offered by the Georgia Department of Education. The material explores some of the ways people use pictorial language;…

The first step in learning to appreciate art is learning to classify a work according to its primary purpose. The artist creates art for one of three reasons: to recreate the physical world (Imitationalism); to express an idea or feeling (Emotionalism); or to create an interesting design (Formalism). A classified work may then be critiqued by: (1)…

In 1899, the Committee of Ten on Drawing, organized by the National Education Association, proposed that one of the main goals of art education should be "to offer a consistent development in the faculty of sight." Art appreciation was centered on the literal translation of the painting. Importance was placed on connecting the painter's…

The 13 seminar papers presented in this collection discuss various avenues used for educating adults in the arts in order to enrich existing arts audiences and to educate the widest possible adult population in the practice and history of art and aesthetics. These efforts will ensure that the quality and quantity of arts participation and support…

An examination of 19th century U.S. art and literature reveals the country's strong identification with nature, the ideals of individual freedom and pioneer courage, and the faith in human nature embraced by the immigrants who expanded the country. In the 17th and 18th centuries, U.S. painting reflected the styles and standards of English art. By…

Beginning with a discussion of the functions of art, the author traces the various connections between visual forms and the personal, social, and physical dimensions of everyday life. These are examined in the light of the impact art has on psychological expression, social description, the communication of ideology, the design of useful objects,…

This study attempts to gain information concerning the receptive, as opposed to the creative, aesthetic experience by talking to museum professionals who spend their working lives identifying, appraising, and explicating works of art. The study is based on an underlying assumption that rules and practices for looking at art exist and must be…

Works of visual art contain an inner dynamism and energy that an individual's perceptual apparatus can translate into kinesthetic impressions, movement, and sound. Through this translation, a child's natural energies can interact with the artwork through multiple sensory experiences, enriching art appreciation. After a brief examination of the…

This book brings together British and U.S. contributions to the debate of a critical studies approach to art and design education. The approach links practice and appreciation. But critical differences exist in definitions of the term design, with the U.S. recognition of design as the use of principles and elements of art in works and a British…

Presents advice on how Montessori elementary teachers can create a vital arts program in the classroom. Promotes literacy in artistic language, the importance of visual observation, and the importance of teachers educating themselves. Provides a materials list and artwork suggestions for teachers, including creating a visual journal, drawing,…