Among the harshest critiques ever received during my doctoral coursework came from a professor who was noticeably perturbed that I had researched and written a paper on an artwork without considering the title in the interpretation and analysis of the work. The professor insisted that the title is necessary to understand the piece. As a diligent…

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…

Narrative construction is an approach to social research in which data are configured into any of a variety of diachronic, or storied, formats. Having recently gained popularity, this approach is now in danger of marginalization (along with other qualitative and quantitative forms of social research) as a result of politically charged attempts to…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the stages in the development of creative activity considering the distinctive features of all stages and the modes of dynamics of the development of a creative person. Design/methodology/approach: The paper analyses scientific investigations and pedagogical experiences in order to develop the…

When displayed in museums and classrooms, Renaissance-era (1420-1600) painting, architecture, and drawing masterworks are often decontextualized from the social reality of the Academy system under which they were produced. For centuries, the artworks of the Italian Renaissance have seduced viewers with technical mastery, exquisite pigments, and…

In this article, the author shares tips on how to keep students interested in learning about still-life art lessons. She relates that her main goal was to formally introduce students to observational drawing and the element of value. She shares that to prevent her students from losing interest, she keeps her time short, keeps the project simple,…

This book explores the popularity of American illustration from the late 1800s through the 1920s. Illustrated books, periodicals, the public consumption of illustrations, and various themes of illustration are discussed. Themes include: (1) "The Smart Set"; (2) "The Masses"; (3) "The Domestic Scene"; (4) "Town and Country"; (5) "Let Me Call You…

Seventeen research papers and discussions representing diverse topics concerning research in the arts and presented as part of the 1983 Arts and Learning Special Interest Group (SIG) program of the American Educational Research Association are presented in the first of two volumes. Papers presented are: "Ways to Talk and What to Say: A Study…

Uses the artwork of Color Field painter, Helen Frankenthaler, to discuss abstract painting, how mood can be conveyed through color, different methods of applying color, and how different color combinations change the appearance of colors. Suggests art-related activities for elementary and secondary levels. (KM)

This paper addresses the benefits of connecting and balancing education in the visual arts and in technology through discussion of actual examples. This balanced connection accomplishes three goals: to further advance and enhance quality of life, to cultivate humane and ethical behaviors, and to initiate global dialogue on issues that matter among…

Purpose: "Black Day to Freedom" project was the culmination of five years of performance ethnography research that continues today in various forms through BeyondLabels. The title "Black Day to Freedom" came from an asylum seeker participating in a "free verse" workshop where all participants expressed their views on…

Engagement in the arts nurtures the development of cognitive, social, and personal competencies. When well taught, the arts provide young children with authentic learning experiences that engage their minds. To get children to think critically, teachers ought to become comfortable with the problem-solving process themselves. This article…

People are immersed in visual culture and, therefore, are usually not aware of how power and privilege are enacted and how they operate in works of art from past and present times. Two premises infuse individuals' thinking on visual culture. First, that an activity-based approach to its study seeks to recognize how power and privilege function in…

In West Bengal, India, a traditional caste community of artists, called "patuas", paint colorful scrolls to accompany songs which they sing to relate historic, current, religious, and cultural events to their audiences. These itinerant painter/singers are part of a long lineage that has passed the tradition down for generations. In this…

This article describes one way to introduce fraction, decimal, and percent equivalents by linking student-created Op Art with examples of twentieth-century abstract painting. (Contains 7 figures.)