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…

There is plenty of literature, including exhibition catalogues, journal articles, and books written for those interested in learning and teaching about African art. Information on individual artists from the countries of Africa is also increasing. These sources attempt to highlight the artists' lives, education, working conditions and what they…

This article examines the cultural history of slide projection technologies by focusing upon how such technologies acquire cultural meaning. The meanings acquired by these technologies emerge in areas as diverse as public and domestic entertainment, religion, science, and education. I identify three important discursive shifts impacting the…

There is a perception in British universities and art colleges that art students are not very good at writing, that they don't want to write, and furthermore, that writing gets in the way of the real business of making art. These perceptions are reinforced in much of the literature that has been produced about, and in support of, undergraduate art…

Numerous incidents have been reported in recent years wherein a work of art is mistaken as trash. The question is, how have people reached the point in the civilized world where a purported work of art cannot be distinguished from a pile of rubbish or a grid of condensation pipes? The answer to that question lies in the basic assumption of nearly…

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 kit looks at 10 works of art from ancient to modern times and explores their myths, histories, artistic styles, and stories about art and artists. The kit includes goals and background information, 10 slides with slide presentation, art and writing activities, 5 laminated reproductions, and a bibliography. Activities are related to the 10…

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.…

Problems in the documentation of the history of fine arts in Japan are explored through a description of the influences of personalities and institutions in the historical study of Japanese art, a survey of the literature and documents involved, and the relationships between museum and library documentation procedures. Suggestions offered for the…

Alma Reed, a Californian who became a noted figure in Mexican art history, was a bicultural individual who introduced famed Mexican muralists to the United States art world and who became a legendary figure in Mexican folklore from the 1920s through the 1960s. This paper traces her career. (JB)

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…

Reports a study of doctoral dissertations on studio education published in the United States between 1964 and 1985. Among the trends noted was an increase in descriptive, historical, and interdisciplinary research. (BSR)

Onfim's drawings, discovered in a medieval town in northern Russia in 1951, are the earliest known child drawings in existence. The history of these early 11th century drawings is described here by a Russian archaeologist. (RM)