Linda Kieling, an art teacher at Rosemont Ridge Middle school in West Linn, Oregon, describes an altered book art project she introduced to her students. Alteration of books is a form of recycling that started in the eleventh century when Italian monks recycled old manuscripts written on vellum by scraping off the ink and adding new text and…

Observational drawing is one of the most important skills art students need; however, it can be difficult to put a new spin on an otherwise old concept. In this article, the author relates how she had used a new approach--ready-made still lifes--to observational drawing in her art class. This approach requires the artist to discover ready-made…

Since the Renaissance, artists have used one- and two-point perspective to describe space in their work. After the release of artist David Hockney's theory questioning the use of lenses and "Scientific America's" attempt to disprove Hockney's theories, perspective has gotten quite controversial. The art world's perplexity surrounding the concept…

Whenever possible, the author tries to incorporate the work of artists who are included in the collection of nearby museums. The school is close to the Dallas area and visiting the Dallas Museum of Arts (DMA) is in the realm possibility. The DMA has a sculpture in their collection by artist David Bates called "Seated Man #4." The fact…

The author of this article is continually trying to come up with interesting ways for beginning art students to put color theory into practice. This article describes a project that integrates new learning about color schemes with previously learned concepts such as observational contour drawing and abstraction and converting two-dimensional shape…

This article presents sixty ideas for celebrating the arts. These ideas include concepts about sparking creativity among children. A list of benefits of arts education is also included.

C.P. Snow calls for communication between the "two cultures" of arts and humanities and science and mathematics so that, globally, humanity can survive and prosper. This paper suggests that when individuals begin to identify with both "cultures," they will be less tolerant of such polarity within education and society and will…

One thing about the Madison Montessori School that impressed this author is its belief in the power and importance of art in education: that an art program can enhance the power of the core learning programs designed for the children and that art develops the whole child, the whole family, the whole school, and the whole community. Its program,…

Teachers at Robinson Elementary School in rural Starksboro, Vermont learned long ago that when they need to reach children who are struggling academically (and perhaps suffering socially, as well), integrating art, drama, writing, dance, song and music throughout the curriculum can help. This article tells the story of how Robinson Elementary wove…

In the context of debates on place, space, and identity in a period of globalisation, this article asks whether collaborative arts projects are a means to identity formation for participants. This is of interest, not least, because such projects are outside consumption, the latter more often discussed in work on identity in sociology. Situated…

Carved from cedar trees by the Native people of the Northwest Coast, totems are outgrowths of the region's aboriginal art forms. Originally an important part of the pot-latch ceremony--a feast with deep meaning to coastal First Nations--totem poles were once raised to represent a family clan, its kinship system, dignity, accomplishments, prestige,…

This article describes the instructional process of helping students visualize irrational numbers. Students learn to create a spiral, called "the wheel of Theodorus," which demonstrates irrational and rational lengths. Examples of student work help the reader appreciate the delightful possibilities of this project. (Contains 4 figures.)

In past years, teachers without professional training in the arts have often been able to avail themselves of summer institutes that introduced them to specific works of art and followed up with artists in the classroom, performance, or trips to an art museum. But what happens when such support is no longer available and teachers have to function…

In this article, the author addresses the burden of non-Native expectation on Native artists, highlighting issues of authenticity, creation, and public display. The author writes about the booth sitters hired by collectors to sit--sometimes all night--and wait for the official opening of the annual Indian Market in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He focuses…

Most would agree that today's art education is far more complex than art activities such as making pumpkin paintings in October. For one, art education continually evolves in response to arts technology integration. What exactly are the implications for art education in the new millennium? In this article, the author presents and shows some of the…