Teaching Visual Arts: Reflection

Dear Kelda,

I loved Mary Clare Powell's article on ‘Art and the inner lives of teachers’. I found it was so beautifully written and speaks right into your heart.  I was particularly taken when she was talking about the arts building a tolerance for failure (p.452) and remember clearly the media messages we have been receiving that we need to build a tolerance for failure in order for innovation to thrive in Australia (Business Council of Australia 2006; Honourable Bill Shorten, 2014).

Picture Source

As for the depth or breadth (cafeteria) debate, I am sure that I had a bit of both, and I would love to have had the opportunity to develop in all of the five arts domains, (or four while I was at school) and I don’t remember any arts appreciation learning, just some technical skills. I still dabble every now and then when I can and am attempting to broaden (or rather deepen) my understanding of arts. I agree with some and lament that life is just too short.

Kelda your drawings are amazing! My main complaint is always the one ‘it doesn’t look like I want it to’, so trying the 'Fauve' (The Art Story Foundation, 2015) style of painting really gave me the courage to just do it, because you know that the end result wont end up looking just like your subject anyway.

Given your success in this ‘you be the judge’ readings, I might give it a try also.

Yours Faithfully, 

Tracey

References

Business Council of Australia. (2006). New concepts in innovation the keys to a growing Australia. Retrieved from http://www.bca.com.au/publications/2006-reports-and-papers 

Honourable Bill Shorten. (2014). Speech 'Science: A national priority' Science meets parliament gala dinner. Retrieved from http://scienceandtechnologyaustralia.org.au    

Powell, M. (1997). Art and the inner lives of teachers. The Phi Delta Kappan. 78(6) pp.450-453.

The Art Story Foundation (2015). Movements - Fauvism. Retrieved from http://www.theartstory.org/movement-fauvism.htm