Why teach art?

Why teach art? When asked this question the first thing I think of is fostering creativity in children. All kids are creative but some of them don’t know how to show this creativity. Along with that is imagination. So many kids have such a vibrant imagination but we would never know. Through art we can see the kids imagination show through. There are so many other reasons to teach the arts in schools.

“By exposing children to creative experiences, we give them the gift of a rich and memorable childhood while laying the foundation for a lifetime of creative expression - all topped off with a heaping helping of important learning skills.” I love this quote I found by MaryAnn F. Kohl. As previously noted fostering students creativity is one of the main reasons I think art should always be included in schooling.

In the reading, The Arts and the Creation of Mind it states, “One important feature of the arts is that they provide not only permission but also encouragement to use one’s imagination as a source of content.” I could not agree more. At times in schools kids are reprimanded for using their imagination because it is not what they are focusing on in the classroom. The arts allow the use of imagination and are encouraged to do so. Another quote from that text that I loved was, “The arts provide a platform for seeing things in ways other then the way they are normally seen.”

Our text emphasizes many different reasons that there should be art education in the school systems. They include cultural understanding, national needs, making the ordinary important and special, personal communication and expression, general and artistic creativity, vocations, aesthetic awareness, literacy and cognition, a core participant in learning in school and a different way of learning and communicating in school. The ones that stick out to me when I read through them were making the ordinary important and special, personal communication and expression, general artistic creativity and aesthetic awareness. These things are things that art can teach so easily.

Something that I didn’t really think of that is awesome is the fact that the arts can reach kids who can’t be reached through any other way. In Champions of Change: The Impact of Arts on Learning it states, “The researchers found that the arts provided a reason, and sometimes the only reason, for being engaged with school or other organizations.” Why not teach the arts when it can reach some kids that are troubled with school.

In another article it stated that it has been proven that early exposure to visual art, music, or drama promotes activity in the brain. Why wouldn’t you want to teach art if it can help other subjects as well. If it promotes activity in the brain students can find different ways to look at different subjects and problems. Another article backs up this fact with this statement, “Brain research confirms that Arts education strengthens student problem-solving and critical thinking skills, adding to overall academic achievement, school success, and preparation for the work world.” For all these reasons I think art is so important to teach.

What is Art??

When asked what is art, Leo Tolstoy states from his book What is Art?, “To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then, by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds, or forms expressed in words, so to transmit that feeling that others may experience the same feeling - this is the activity of art.” This is the excerpt that I agreed most with. When I see art there is always an emotion behind what it is I am looking at. It could be strong or weak but I am still feeling something when I look at that piece of art. Art can be found anywhere and everywhere. Looking around you right now I bet you can find something that pulls an emotion from you, whether it is a piece of work on the wall or something that someone is wearing.

In the first prompt, there was a picture done by an animal, a man and a baby all three which I consider art. I would not be able to tell which artist did which piece and it doesn’t stretch my definition of art at all. Looking at those pieces still evokes an emotion in me. It maybe confusion yet the colors and the randomness in all of them bring a smile to my face.

The second prompt included the picture of the bike wheel and the toilet. I wouldn’t’ consider this art. There is no emotion that the artist is trying to portray and I don’t feel anything when I look at it. I know many people would argue that that for a fact is art. I think the only way that would be considered art would be if it was at an art museum. If there was a urinal in the bathroom and it was signed you would not think to yourself, “Wow that is a real piece of work.” You would probably just blow it off and use it for what it is made for…peeing. I know there are many things found that can be considered art that are not created for example natural landscapes I would consider art because when I look at some of them like the mountains I feel calm and serene. This doesn’t mean all things that are not created are art though. Wikipedia defines art as, “…the product or process of deliberately arranging symbolic elements in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect.” I disagree with this statement. I don’t think art is always deliberately made. At times art can happen as an accident and still evoke an emotion in us.

The third prompt shows something that was created then erased. I still consider that piece art. When I look at it I feel confused and I want to know more. What was originally created and then erased. I feel a little empty because it was erased and there should be more. The act of erasing in a lot of cases can very easily be considered art.

One form of art that is looked to negatively is graffiti. Do you consider graffiti art? Graffiti makes you think. In an article called Why is Graffiti Considered art they made a statement as to why it is, “The subversive act of painting graffiti illegally in the first place is a statement within itself, and the works are meant to communicate things, too. Graffiti artists use symbols, words, letters, pictures, murals, and tags to express what they have to say both to each other and to the public at large.” They are portraying an emotion that they want many people to view and think about.

Does art have to be beautiful? Another definition I found goes as follows, “the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.” I think there are many pieces of art that are not considered beautiful or appealing but are very artistic. Anything portraying some dark image could be gruesome and gory but would still be consider art because it is portraying an emotion and making you think. For example, the painting "Cronus Devouring His Children". by Francisco de Goya is a painting of a Titan eating a person. It is in no way beautiful or appealing but it is definitely art.

What is art? This is a question that is always asked and answered in many different ways. Art is different from person to person. Some may think that a urinal with a famous persons name on it is art. I say its not but that is just my opinion and not everyone else’s. I think that art has to portray a feeling and make you think. Others may not agree with that. Art is what is aesthetically pleasing to you. Look around you, what would you consider art?