| Artists, patrons, museums, and schools need a | | | | really fit the "arts" education arena. One of the |
| uniting, comprehensive working definition for the | | | | speakers, and I forget her name, was an aesthetics |
| realm of the "ARTS". This definition succinctly | | | | professor from the University of Minnesota. She |
| satisfies that need. | | | | came the closest to a definition of art that I could |
| "Art" means different things to various people. It's | | | | agree with, except, for her, art had to have a |
| been an enigma! Since the age of twelve I wanted | | | | concrete artifact, an art "object", something tangible |
| to be an "artist". Over the years I had become | | | | to be reviewed through time. But, as many "artists" |
| involved with numerous "art" endeavors: drawings, | | | | know, sometimes an artistic creation is designed to |
| sculptures, paintings in various media, architectural | | | | be fugitive, non-tangible through time, it must |
| design, photography, writing, and ceramics. I've even | | | | disappear to fulfill its aesthetic intent. |
| been fortunate to have "art" jobs: art and | | | | While out jogging one afternoon at the conference it |
| photography teacher, freelance artist, supervisor of a | | | | came to me, an epiphany; "There is a simple, |
| graphic art department, museum exhibits designer | | | | comprehensive definition of "art", it's an acronym for |
| and builder, and art director. In all those experiences | | | | itself". |
| and even through educational training beyond the | | | | The Aesthetic Rendering of Thought. |
| master's degree I could not find a comprehensive | | | | In order for Art to exist, the following three (3) |
| definition of..."art". After all, I was an "artist"; but, how | | | | criteria must be met. First of all, there must be some |
| could I make claim to this intriguing group with out | | | | sensory manifestation (Rendering), fugitive or |
| really knowing what "art" was? | | | | permanent, that is based upon a creative, intellectual |
| In the early 1990's, I participated in the Improving | | | | process (Thought) with the intention of a beautiful or |
| Visual Art Education Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio, | | | | pleasurable (Aesthetic or Anti-aesthetic) action, or |
| which was sponsored by the Cincinnati Art Museum | | | | reaction, in one or more of the senses and/or |
| and the Getty Center for the Arts. The conference | | | | psyche. |
| basically centered on the concept of "Discipline Based | | | | Encircled within this definition are more than the |
| Art Education". In this realm arts education is believed | | | | traditional concepts of "art": painting, sculpture, |
| to have four basic tenants that should be covered in | | | | ceramics, writing, architecture, drama, music, dance, |
| pedagogy and help give credence to spending | | | | and photography. It's now easier to understand why |
| constrained budgets on having "arts" in the public | | | | cooking can be included as an "art" and more than |
| school curriculum. These four areas are: history, | | | | just a craft. Please do not confuse "craft" with "art". |
| theory/criticism, aesthetics, and production. It was | | | | Art objects are original creations, one of a kind. |
| from this conference that I came up with the design | | | | Craft, on the other hand, is the fastidious copying, |
| for the MIA PATCH Lesson Plan for the Arts since | | | | reproduction, of an art object. |
| there was no lesson plan format that I new of that | | | | |