Art Education Rant - Why I Prefer Mentorship
J.Pascal
Okay, so maybe not, or at least I try not to be. My oldest
daughter has quite a bit of talent and, so far, a great deal of
interest in art. Today we went down to a local gallery to talk
to a man we'd met who invited my daughter to bring some of
her drawings for him to see.
This is not the first time I've looked on as an artist has
gone through her notebooks with her. I don't mean to
sound critical of the gentleman because I really do appreciate
the time that he took and his interest, and his watercolor
and woodcuts in the gallery are very nice, he's a talented
artist. I'm sure he was also a very good art teacher for
his entire career and I'm sure my daughter could learn a
lot from him. But he thinks high school art programs are
worth something. Well... maybe...
But other things are far more efficient. Today my daughter
talked to several artists and they all talked about different
things in very different ways. They all picked out different
things in her notebooks to make comments about. The
lovely gentleman talked about perspective and life drawings
and displaying confidence in the lines, the Raku lady talked
about proportion and dimension, another lady talked about
anatomy and what makes a hawk different from a falcon
(among many other things... she was quite interesting).
Also valuable, they talked about *being* an artist and about
artists that they knew... the painter who says that on some
days hands just don't work so she has to paint the hands on
a different day, that sort of thing, the stuff that doesn't come
out right the first time and has to be redone, the painters
who eventually get into sculpture as a progression of putting
more and more texture on the canvas, the way that some
3-d artists find drawing difficult and vice versa. Random
stuff describing what it's like to create... taking away the
mystery and the myth of it all.
Talking to so many different people also made it less
likely that some less than good things would go on
unopposed. The idea that she should, at 13, *commit*
to being an artist, for example. Hints that "comics" aren't
quite serious enough, for another. Very human tendancies
to push people in the way you think they ought to go.
Last fall she got to talk to the artist guest of honor at our
local science fiction convention, a very famous illustrator
in the SF and fantasy artwork arena. His advice to her was
about the things that he got hung up on and his warning to me
was that she should *not* invest overmuch in the identity of
an artist and gaining approval through her art because the
need to keep that approval can stifle experimentation. His
advice to her was to draw the things she liked and that came
out well but to always be trying other things too. He said
she needed a private place where no one was there to judge
what she had done.
He also said that all those artsy things... perspective and
anatomy and foreshortening and composition... can all be
learned. He wasn't concerned with those things. That the
sleeping cat-boy she'd drawn looked melted in sleep rather
than stiff interested him far more than proper anatomy.
And I agree. The mechanics do have to be learned but
the expression and ability to be expressive is what makes
something technically competent into something more.
Unsurprisingly the art teacher is going to be on about what
can be taught in an art class in school. And I don't think
that it's just the recollections I have of my high school art
classes, which were certainly *fun* but tended to be an
overview of media and trying the styles of different famous
artists (we've all done pointilism in school, yes?) rather
than developing ones own talent in any sort of organic way.
There, again, trying different media is useful and learning
about art history is useful, but that exposure isn't going to
help a person learn to see. But the art teacher is
concerned that she draw still-lifes, that she draw life-drawings,
that she does all the *proper* things involved in "real" art.
Because at 13 she should start thinking about her art school
application portfolio and scholarship availability and the fact
that there are certain perscribed elements of those applications.
So she'd rather look forward to life as a CPA than draw a
picture of static fruit... that's not important? Actually it's
all the best intentions and genuinely helpful impulses and
I understand that, but those impulses are colored by
certain assumptions, certain institutionalized assumptions.
My daughter would like to go to school and she's got reasons
that I find fairly persuasive for her as an individual. If she gets
in she may well be going to the local charter school this fall.
But tonight she mentioned the "art program" at a school and
I told her that of all the reasons to go that was *not* a good
one. (It's actually an *anti* high school reason as she could
take college art courses during her high school years if she
is homeschooling.) I would love for her to take some classes,
and if she can, I'd pay for watercolor classes with the retired
art teacher gentleman from the gallery in a second, because
SHE is interested in learning watercolor... and she even likes
the same kind of subjects that he likes... old buildings, so
I'm sure she wouldn't find it constraining (a class on acrylic
still-life fruit, OTOH, would likely turn her off painting for
years.) Yet, clearly, despite his genuine friendliness and
desire to help, he didn't identify with her manga style
drawings, though he did *try*. (He noted the elaborate
costumes that some of her characters were wearing and
suggested fashion illustration to her.) But why should he?
It's not a personal failing.
An art teacher has to learn enough about everything to
introduce everything to their students, but no artist even
attempts to do everything. Their focus may change over time
but there is a reason that one person paints on silk and
one person works with clay and yet another person creates
watercolors. Being able to learn from an artist what they
love and what motivates them to create in a particular media
is worlds different than simply learning about that media.
Oh, as for art in general there is just one thing to know.
Rather than make a drawing of a dog, make a drawing that
makes people who see it think of a dog. Rather than make
a sculpture of a cat, make one that makes people who see it
think of a cat. Rather than making a painting of a person,
make a painting that makes people who see it think of a
person. No matter how life-like, you're creating something
that really isn't much like the real thing. It doesn't have to
be. You make the key, only. The person viewing the art
provides the rest.
-Julie
danette....@gmail.com
J.Pascal wrote:
> I AM the scary art mom!
> But he thinks high school art programs are
> worth something. Well... maybe...
> -Julie
My sister is awesome with her art. My mom wanted to make sure she got
some instruction on it, so she enrolled her in a high-school art
course... you don't have to go to the public school, to take their
electives- if you like, your daughter can most likely just be enrolled
in an art course, and still be homeschooled, if you choose to do that..
the art course my sister was in was incredibly boring to her- she
already knew the things that the art class was teaching- and her
teacher didn't really offer her much instruction on her drawing- but
just criticized her choice of subject matter. the class was very slow,
and she felt like it was a waste of her time...
Unless your school has much better art programs... try something else.
Try the art test for the Minnesota Art Instruction Schools- they have a
correspondence program, and they give out a free scholarship every
single month! -a complete scholarship to their two year correspondence
program, that includes all the art supplies, and everything! My sister
won one of these :-)
~Danette
"Mark T"
> he's a talented artist. I'm sure he was also a very good art teacher for
> his entire career and I'm sure my daughter could learn a
> lot from him. But he thinks high school art programs are
> worth something. Well... maybe...
Aversion to professional educators noted (as usual on this ng)
I am a member of our local art gallery (I wriote their newsletter) and a
member of the society of artists (I'm the publicity officer) being both an
artist and professional educator for over 30 years.
A local homeskoola is also a member of the gallery. He understands nothing
about contemporary art. I watched as the Director explained the basics of
reading contemporary art to him. The homeskoola "teecuz art" to his
kiddies. A worry!
> I'd pay for watercolor classes with the retired art teacher gentleman from
> the gallery
... which is not homeschooing but hiring a professional educator. The same
guy taught for free in the public schools. The public school kids didn't
have to pay for his services.
bozo_th...@yahoo.com
weLL mArk t.
wen I wenrt to skool at "the home" we use to do all sorts of things to
art, put art on the walll, mold art, draw on art etc then art got sick
of it and we al l got intrubble. terrrble trebble.
"Mark T"
> wen I wenrt to skool at "the home" we use to do all sorts of things to
> art, put art on the walll, mold art, draw on art etc then art got sick
> of it and we al l got intrubble. terrrble trebble.
Art is like that. He spoils all your fun. ;-)
J.Pascal
"Mark T" wrote:
> "J.Pascal" <ju...@pascal.org> wrote:
>
>
> > he's a talented artist. I'm sure he was also a very good art teacher for
> > his entire career and I'm sure my daughter could learn a
> > lot from him. But he thinks high school art programs are
> > worth something. Well... maybe...
>
> Aversion to professional educators noted (as usual on this ng)
Oooo... didn't notice I'd done that. Glad you caught it.
> I am a member of our local art gallery (I wriote their newsletter) and a
> member of the society of artists (I'm the publicity officer) being both an
> artist and professional educator for over 30 years.
You wriote it, huh? Did you use a spell checker?
> A local homeskoola is also a member of the gallery. He understands nothing
> about contemporary art. I watched as the Director explained the basics of
> reading contemporary art to him. The homeskoola "teecuz art" to his
> kiddies. A worry!
Apparently membership at the gallery is highly selective. The
context of your own membership is noted.
> > I'd pay for watercolor classes with the retired art teacher gentleman from
> > the gallery
>
> ... which is not homeschooing but hiring a professional educator. The same
> guy taught for free in the public schools. The public school kids didn't
> have to pay for his services.
If my daughter was interested in clay I'd hire the raku lady and as
far as I know she's got no certification and never taught in the
public school in her life. Without any certification or *educational*
training at all she has the gall to offer classes and teach people.
Oh the humanity!
Hiring experts has very little in common with public school. Part
of what is different is that the lie that the classes are "free"
confuses
the concept of what the customer is owed by those providing the
service. The student has no standing in the public school class and
must take what is offered at the discretion of the teacher and school
board. The student of a privately contracted teacher has the power
to negotiate the scope of the class and what they will be getting for
their money.
Hiring experts and locating mentors within the community is an
*assumed* part of homeschooling for anyone who knows anything
about it. I don't know a single homeschooler who doesn't consider
that a part of homeschooling. Homeschooling is about who has
the authority.
-Julie
tj
news:1147788704.8...@i40g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
>
> Hiring experts has very little in common with public school. Part
> of what is different is that the lie that the classes are "free"
> confuses
> the concept of what the customer is owed by those providing the
> service. The student has no standing in the public school class and
> must take what is offered at the discretion of the teacher and school
> board.
I don't know what country you live in, but in this country, teachers and
school boards have very little discretion as to what is offered. When there
is some variation from the mandated, e.g., an elective class, this class is
formed because there is enough *student* interest (and an available teacher)
to merit making the class.
--
Saludos y chaufas,
tj
profe's Web pages: http://webtj.net
"Mark T"
> I don't know what country you live in, but in this country, teachers and
> school boards have very little discretion as to what is offered.
Same in NSW, Austyralia. Our curricuilum is is given to us by our state
Board of Studies.
> When there is some variation from the mandated, e.g., an elective class,
> this class is formed because there is enough *student* interest (and an
> available teacher) to merit making the class.
Ditto.
J.Pascal
I get the economy of scale issue but what you're describing is
a system where neither the student nor the teacher are free
to deviate from a course set by someone else. Certain things
about that are efficient and certain things about that are not.
It's nice for you that you get to teach an elective course that
both you and your students freely chose. How are finals going
for you?
-Julie
tj
tj
>
> tj wrote:
>> I don't know what country you live in, but in this country, teachers and
>> school boards have very little discretion as to what is offered. When
>> there
>> is some variation from the mandated, e.g., an elective class, this class
>> is
>> formed because there is enough *student* interest (and an available
>> teacher)
>> to merit making the class.
>
> I get the economy of scale issue but what you're describing is
> a system where neither the student nor the teacher are free
> to deviate from a course set by someone else. Certain things
> about that are efficient and certain things about that are not.
>
I'm glad you "get" the economy of scale issue. Unfortunately, it has
nothing to do with what I wrote. Repeating: when there are options
available, the people with the biggest say in whether a class makes or not
are the *students*, contrary to what some uninformed homeschoolers may
think.
As to the other thing you mentioned... As we progress further into a
standards based environment, what we have lost is the ability to teach
nothing. There are certain minimum standards set by the state, but once
those are met, a teacher add any additional curriculum as he/she sees fit.
I see minimum standards as a plus, not a minus. I teach what needs to be
taught and I get to teach whatever additional items that I may find
important.
> It's nice for you that you get to teach an elective course that
> both you and your students freely chose. How are finals going
> for you?
>
I haven't taught an elective course in over a decade. 2 years of a language
is a graduation requirement in CPS; it is considered a part of the core
curriculum. They don't pass my class - they don't graduate.
We don't have finals until the 2nd week of June.
J.Pascal
> > It's nice for you that you get to teach an elective course that
> > both you and your students freely chose. How are finals going
> > for you?
> >
>
> I haven't taught an elective course in over a decade. 2 years of a language
> is a graduation requirement in CPS; it is considered a part of the core
> curriculum. They don't pass my class - they don't graduate.
In that case, my high school offered no elective courses and I've
never taken one. Every single class I took was required for
graduation. Had I failed any of them I would not have had
enough credits to graduate.
And none of your students are taking 3rd year Spanish? You'll
forgive me, I think, if I was under the impression that you taught
advanced Spanish language classes.
> We don't have finals until the 2nd week of June.
Ugh... lots of snow days?
-Julie
tj
>
> tj wrote:
>> I haven't taught an elective course in over a decade. 2 years of a
>> language
>> is a graduation requirement in CPS; it is considered a part of the core
>> curriculum. They don't pass my class - they don't graduate.
>
> In that case, my high school offered no elective courses and I've
> never taken one. Every single class I took was required for
> graduation. Had I failed any of them I would not have had
> enough credits to graduate.
>
Let's try this again. Maybe a concrete example will make the situation
clearer for you...
You are a senior. You need 26 credits to graduate and already have 30. You
rank 10th in a class of 400. You fail the whole year of an elective class
(e.g., calculus) and don't make it up.
You graduate.
BUT
You fail one semester of my class and don't take it over.
You ain't graduating.
Clearer?
> And none of your students are taking 3rd year Spanish? You'll
> forgive me, I think, if I was under the impression that you taught
> advanced Spanish language classes.
>
Not this year. I have 3 classes of regular Spanish 1, 1 Spanish 1 IB
Language B (read super-sized honor class) and 1 Spanish 1 IB Language A
(which is more advanced than probably 95% of all language classes).
>> We don't have finals until the 2nd week of June.
>
> Ugh... lots of snow days?
>
No snow days. Typical year. Last day for students is June 14.