What Is Art?
By: Carolyn Holm
Our world has become a very visual one-we have art all around us. Understanding art is understanding our world! A good first step is to try to understand what we mean by art.
So, what is art? While there is no single answer, and not everyone will agree on a definition, involving your students in a discussion of this question can be exciting, engaging, and enlightening. Both you and your students will see art in new ways after exploring the many kinds of art we have all around us.
This kind of discussion is a good introduction to an art program in general, as well as a good way to lead in to a new medium. If you are not confident with your own art knowledge, regard this kind of discussion as a learning experience for yourself as well as your students, something that you are exploring with them. You don't have to be the "expert" at everything! By learning side by side with your students, you are modeling the curiosity and thoughtfulness you want to inspire in your classroom.
Your role as teacher will be to lead your students to discover the enormous variety of art. You will probably hold this discussion in several parts, as it will get quite lively and will take some time. Use some of the following points and questions to nudge the discussion along. See if your students can come up with some of these points themselves, and, better yet, even go beyond them. And, as they form their opinions, remind them that some of these questions are being debated every day among artists.
The following are points and questions you can use to keep the discussion going, adapting it, of course, to your age group.
What are the various forms of art?
When you think of art, what do you think of? Paintings and statues are common answers. (If your students use the word statues, bring up the difference between the words "statue" and "sculpture." Statue suggests sculpture that is realistic, usually representing the human form. Sculpture is a broader term, because many are abstract.) Try to elicit more forms of art, such as ceramics, printing, photography, and collage.
Is there a size limit to art?
Remind your students that art can come in all sizes, from massive public art to dainty tabletop pieces. What are some large public pieces that the students know about? For a perspective on size, you can mention Christo's Fence, a temporary white fabric fence that undulated for miles over the Northern California hills, passing through pastures of dairy cows. This is also an example of art that was ephemeral. On the other end of the scale, a small sculpture created by a child could be just five inches across.
Is art defined by its materials?
We are all used to thinking of paintings as art. Or bronze or marble sculptures. But art can be made from all kinds of materials. Try to think of some. Various kinds of paint and drawing mediums usually come to mind, but also ceramics, metal, wood, fabrics, and plastics; it can even be an "assemblage" of junk.
A work can even combine art forms. Photography, ceramics, metalwork, collage.these can all be incorporated into a painting, or vice versa.
And, some art moves. A piece may turn in the breeze, like the Calder mobiles. Or have a motor. They can have sound-an artist in San Francisco even created a musical instrument that makes sounds when the ocean waves move over it.
Does art have to be representational?
Is it necessary for it to actually look like something, such as a woman, or a vase of flowers? Does art have to be realistic? Is it better if it is realistic? What makes it realistic? Can it be something that suggests something real, even if it doesn't look exactly like our eye sees it in real life?
What about abstract art?
Do your students know what that means? What is abstract art about? It can suggest many things, create many moods, or simply celebrate something as basic as form or color. You will notice that when your students look at abstract art, they tend to describe it in terms of feelings. They'll say it makes them feel happy. It makes them feel tense. Or, they'll say this painting looks angry. Or quiet and peaceful. This is a wonderful way to interpret art.
Are crafts art?
Jewelry making, quilting, and woodworking are all referred to as crafts. Some people also call them art, while others only use the word art for certain pieces that they feel cross the line from crafts to art. Is the thing that makes the difference between craft and art the fact that it is functional? Or is the difference more about whether it is good or mediocre art, and relegating the mediocre to the craft category?
Is all art good art?
Is there such a thing as mediocre art? Who decides, and how is it decided? Here is where education comes in. The more you learn about art, including doing it, the more you understand it, and the more discerning you become.
If art is used to sell something, is it still art?
We call this commercial art. What are some of the forms of commercial art around us? Trademarks and logos are powerful visual communicators. Other kinds of commercial art are billboards, television ads, animation in computer games, and package design. Some of these are beautiful. Some are not. But all were created by someone for a specific commercial purpose. Is that art?
Does art have to be beautiful?
What about a piece that looks truly ugly to you? Is it still art? Perhaps the artist is communicating something with that "ugliness." Sometimes, the artist is trying to shock the viewer, or to make them feel uncomfortable. Why would an artist want to do that? Perhaps to make people see things in a new way?
Does it have to be painstaking to be art?
Does it have to be something that takes a long time to do, and is very difficult to do? Or can a quick sketch on a napkin be a work of art?
Is it art if it is intended for another purpose?
If it is originally created with the intention to instruct, or record, or illustrate, for example, is it still art? Art has always had many roles. It is thought that the beautiful hunting scenes painted in caves by prehistoric man were made as part of a ritual to assure a successful hunt. Paintings (and now photography) have long been used to record how things or people look (portraits of people, landscapes and cityscapes of places). The ancient Greeks used ceramic vases to depict scenes from everyday life.
Art has also long been used to tell stories or history. Religious art sets out to explain beliefs, tell a spiritual story, or simply for inspiration (think of the impact of walking into a gothic cathedral, with its combination of soaring architecture and light filtering down through stained glass windows).
Art can be used to memorialize an event or person. The Viet Nam memorial and the AIDS Quilt are two memorable examples.
Is "found art" really art?
Some artists take something they simply find, and they mount it and call it art. If you found an interesting piece of wood, and polished it and mounted it, would that be art? If you didn't polish it, but just mounted it, would it be art? If you just brought in a piece of wood and didn't do anything to it, didn't mount it, would this be art? Some artists will say yes, some will say no.
One thing to think about is that the word art is a root in words like artifice, artifact, and artisan, so linguistically it implies something made by human hands. So, in that light, perhaps that piece of wood needs to have something done to it by the artist to make it art? Or, is it enough that the artist selected it?
Finally, if art is something done by human hands, what is art generated on a computer? Does our definition of art include that?
What is the one thing that all these art forms have in common? All art has one defining thing that it shares with all other art-communication. All forms of art communicate something: a feeling, an idea, a record of fact, another way of looking at something, a statement about something wrong in our society, an appreciation of something beautiful, a spiritual understanding.
You will find that this discussion can get quite lively. It is even more productive if you can bring in examples of different kinds of art. Your library will have books with examples of paintings (portraits, landscapes, abstracts), sculpture (traditional and junk sculpture), ceramics, photography, and more.
Here is a final tip. Keep an eye out for calendars that get marked down after the beginning of a new year. Many feature art by famous artists. You're sure to find good art examples for low prices. Most frequently found artists are Matisse, Chagall, the impressionists, and Van Gogh. Another source for art examples are book sales by your local library. Many libraries use annual book sales of book donations to raise needed funds. Sad to say, many people tend to donate their art books when they clean out their own bookshelves. Let their loss be your gain - you'll find all kinds of treasures!
Carolyn Holm is an artist and art teacher in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her book, Everyday Art for Kids , received a Parent's Guide to Children's Media award in 1998. You can visit her on the Web at www.everydayart.com.
Product Roundup
Blick Art Materials
Blick Art Materials has published the 2008 edition of its Classroom Art Catalog for K-6 educators. The full-color, 194-page book is designed with art teachers and classroom teachers in mind, as well as those who conduct camp, scouting and after-school activities programs. Offering an extensive selection of art supplies and resources, it also includes convenient project kits and Class Packs (economically priced classroom-sized assortments). Fun, unique lesson plans and dozens of full-color photos of sample projects are aimed at helping classroom teachers incorporate art into the core curriculum.
www.dickblick.com
Scratch-Art Light Catcher Inspired Designs Group Pack
Get kids inspired with these beautiful Light Catchers. Kits feature popular Christian themes. Scratch with the wood drawing stylus and design dazzling "stained glass" window art. Personalize each Light Catcher with unique decorations and drawings. Hang in a window, as sunlight illuminates brilliant glowing colors. The pack includes everything to complete 12 projects: 12 Design Frames, 12 Scratch-Lite Sheets, and 12 heavy-duty wood drawing styluses. It includes three each of the following designs: angel, cross, heart and hands, and Noah's Ark. www.scratchart.com
See-Thru Easel from Jonti-Craft
Jonti-Craft is pleased to feature their See-Thru Easel. Children can paint on both sides of this clear acrylic easel. The See-Thru Easel can be used to outline shapes, letters or objects. One child stands with his/her back to the easel, while the other traces from the opposite side. Paint cup holders are mounted on both sides of the birch frame for convenience of storage. For more than 25 years, Jonti-Craft has been a leading manufacturer of high-quality furniture made from wood and laminate designed for the early learning market. All furniture is designed to be safe, affordable and functional.
www.Jonti-Craft.com
Alphabet Alley
Alphabet Alley sells a wide range of Christian toys for the early childhood market, including magnets, puzzles, games, stickers, blocks and more. One of their new lines are sticker sets, which are great for preschool classroom art activities. Each set comes with two sheets of 17 acid-free stickers. There are five different sets: Noah's Ark , In the Beginning (Creation), The Good News (Easter), A Child is Born (Christmas), and One World (kids from around the world). Each set includes two identical acid-free sticker sheets. These stickers are perfect for craft projects, classroom use, party favors, and more. It is a fun way to create scenes and teach biblical stories.
www.alphabetalley.com
Sculpt-it from Sargent Art
Sculpt-it Air-Hardening Sculpting Material is a smooth material that is ideal for freehand modeling and creating realistic figurines and sculptures. Sculpt-it can be painted, drilled, or sanded after drying. Sculpt-it air dries and requires no kiln or heat baking to dry and harden. It dries to an almost ceramic hard surface with minimal shrinkage during the drying process. Sculpt-it can be moistened while pliable. Moistening helps to encourage piece-to-piece adhesion, smoothing and blending. It can also help to avoid any cracking. Colored Sculpt-it can be blended together to create new colors or unique marbling effects.
www.sargentart.com
Gee Guides
Many studies show that art is an essential part of a student's education that should not be left out. In fact, students who have an arts education excel in other subjects, as well as at taking tests, with scores nearly 30 percent higher than those students who do not have an arts education background. The geeART16 is a curriculum that stimulates the right side of the brain, helping to enhance creativity and problem-solving and also improving test scores. Delivered over the Web, geeART offers teachers incredible tools, such as self-assessment features, student portfolios and assessment rubrics.
www.geeguides.com
