This article details the work of Raymond Pettibon. Raymond Pettibon's pictures place an equal emphasis on drawing and writing. Working with a cast of characters drawn from worlds as different as Saturday morning cartoons and politics, he tells stories that can be both amusing and critical.

This article discusses how drawing closer to nature, two profoundly important and powerful qualities are experienced. First, the entire world takes on a new degree of poignancy, luminosity, preciousness, subtlety, mystery, and intimacy. Second, the author points out how we increasingly experience ourselves in just the same way: poignant, luminous,…

One art critic called it pure Despite the mixed reviews of Christo and Jeanne-Claude's temporary art installation in New York's Central Park, the public reaction to The Gates was largely positive.The Gates consisted of 7,500 orange PVC frames straddling the park's walkways that varied in widths from 5 1/2 feet to 18 feet. Eight-foot-long ripstop…

Often we find great ideas around the artroom. One day, the author spotted several pieces of construction paper that had gotten wet near the sink. They had stained the white paper they were lying on. He noticed a design of strong contrast exhibited by the stains. Layers of transparent color had created textural nuances resembling a multicolored…

In this article, the author states that the aim of drawing closer to nature is to employ the artistic processes to draw our selves--mind, body, and spirit--closer to nature. When so repositioned, our thoughts and behaviors--artistic and otherwise take on depth, grace, and richness of expression--just what we want for our life and our art. Sections…

In this article, the author describes why he teaches art. He explains that he never planned on teaching art, but he enjoys interacting with students and getting to know them. He says that art is unique because students are allowed to talk while still learning. Whether they have pencils or scissors, charcoal or paintbrushes in their hands, or…

Foam printing offers all ages and abilities a way to explore textures in the classroom and to develop personal creativity and imagination. Polystyrene foam trays (commonly known as "meat trays") are readily available, inexpensive, lightweight, portable, and receptive to a wide variety of surface treatments. The printmaking process requires only a…

The author of this article chose Cambodia's Angkor temples as a jumping-off point for her students' exploration of printmaking. This article describes a lesson in which students used subjects, themes, and symbols that demonstrate knowledge of contexts, values, and aesthetics that communicate intended meaning in artworks.

This article discusses the National Art Education Association's strategic plan for art education. Their plan states that all PreK-12 students deserve a comprehensive, balanced, and sequential program of instruction in the visual arts. The Association's primary vision and goals are described.

Developing learning experiences around real-world scenarios engages students in hands-on, authentic learning that promotes skills such as: research methods, collaboration, workplace skills, persistence, information organization and application, and self-reflection practice. The final work, new skills, and knowledge may then be demonstrated to an…

Since 1997, the author coordinated a large-scale billboard project. Coordinated to coincide with the National Art Education Association's celebration of Youth Art Month, strong commitments from faculty, students, administrators, public-relations liaisons, local press, radio, TV, and community businesses have made this project a success. The first…

In a time of educational budget cuts, the arts seem to take the major brunt of the financial ax. Fine arts programs are often pitted against one another for survival. The music industry and supporting corporations, such as American Express, campaign to have instruments donated or purchased to keep educational programs alive. The visual arts do not…

This brief article describes how a Anne Young taught her students to make a monoprint out of a coffee filter. A monoprint is a one-of-a-kind picture. This lesson taught students to use art materials and tools in a safe and responsible manner.

In this article, the author describes one classroom's experience engaging in a lesson on aboriginal painting. Aboriginal painting has a particular allure to middle school students. As this age group crosses the threshold from concrete knowing to conceptual understanding, they are ready to re-frame their perspective of the artist's intent. Learning…

Spring Grove Public School is the center of a small, rural community, where most activities revolve around or take place in the school. With this idea in mind, the author of this article describes how, as an art teacher, she set out to create a project that would bring this to the attention of not only the students creating it, but also to the…