LEARNING TO DO ART WITH A CAPITAL A
Caroline LaFlamme
B.S., University of California, Davis, 1986
PROJECT
Submitted in partial satisfaction of
the requirements for the degree of
MASTER OF ARTS
in
EDUCATION
(Curriculum and Instruction)
at
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, SACRAMENTO
SPRING
2010
© 2010
Caroline LaFlamme
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
ii
LEARNING TO DO ART WITH A CAPITAL A
A Project
by
Caroline LaFlamme
Approved by:
__________________________________, Committee Chair
Karen D. Benson, Ph. D.
____________________________
Date
iii
Student: Caroline LaFlamme
I certify that this student has met the requirements for format contained in the
University format manual, and that this project is suitable for shelving in the Library
and credit is to be awarded for the Project.
, Graduate Coordinator
Rita M. Johnson, Ed. D.
Date
Department of Teacher Education
iv
Abstract
of
LEARNING TO DO ART WITH A CAPITAL A
by
Caroline LaFlamme
This project was an Alternative Culminating Experience for a Master of Arts in
Education: Curriculum and Instruction with an Elective Emphasis on Arts in
Education. It followed Pathway I: Artist as Educator.
The purpose of Learning to do Art With a Capital A was to develop the
researcher as an artist through both research and newly acquired skills in order that she
personally experience the creative process before she applied what she learned to her
teaching. Since the researcher was a science teacher, initially the goal was to infuse art
into existing science curriculum. As time progressed, it became evident that art needed
to be valued as its own discipline. Researching the contributions of the educational
philosophers John Dewey (1934), Donald Arnstine (1967), Elliot Eisner (1998), and
Howard Gardner (1989, 2003) created the academic scaffolding that brought meaning
and purpose to the art skills the researcher was developing. The researcher took
courses in which she learned to make puppets, perform skits, dance, sing, draw and
paint. Experiencing art and reflecting on those experiences resulted in the confidence
v
and capacity to lead others. Two years of course work led to a small service learning
community art project with the researcher and 15 junior high students. In response to a
need to increase awareness of the school’s recycling-bins, the students volunteered to
design and paint them. It was a time consuming endeavor but a successful one.
Documenting the process enabled and enriched the experience. Writing this
culminating experience allowed for in depth introspection, assimilation, and
appreciation of the arts. The researcher will continue pursuing and advocating for the
arts.
, Committee Chair
Karen D. Benson, Ph. D.
_______________________
Date
vi
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to acknowledge the three most important people in my life.
Thank you Rose Ronne. You have supported my artistic side since childhood. I
remember every time you displayed my pictures on the walls and sat by my side to
color with me. Thank you for taking me to museums, the ballet, and encouraging me
to take art classes and pursue this masters program. You have a great passion and eye
for beauty and have passed that on to me.
Thank you Rachael Neustadt, my daughter. It is your art that now covers my
walls, and it is we who now visit museums and attend theatre together. It‘s a joy to see
your artistic side flourish.
Thank you Mark Collen. Thank you for the two years of support and
encouragement that helped me complete this project. You are my inspiration and
vision for the future.
vii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Acknowledgments ...................................................................................................... vii
Chapter
1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 1
Limitations ........................................................................................................ 5
Definitions ........................................................................................................ 5
2. REVIEW OF THE RELEVANT LITERATURE .................................................. 8
3. THE PROJECT .................................................................................................... 44
Personal History ............................................................................................. 46
The Art and Recycling Project ....................................................................... 60
4. REFLECTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................ 63
Appendix A. California Consultancy for Arts Education 2008 Summer
Institute: Certification of Completion, Sample Lesson Plan, and
Sample Art Works .......................................................................................... 69
Appendix B. Eyes Wide Open Assignment/CSUS Fall 2009 ................................... 74
Appendix C. Puppet Theatre / CSUS Fall 2009 ........................................................ 76
Appendix D. Sample Drawings from Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain ........ 78
Appendix E. Learning how to Paint / Materials, Syllabus, Samples ......................... 80
Appendix F. Barrio Art / CSUS Fall 2009 ................................................................ 83
Appendix G. Recycling Bin Project /Fall 2009-Winter 2010 ................................... 85
References .................................................................................................................. 97
viii
1
Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of enrolling in a Masters program that emphasized arts education
and advocacy was to bring two passions together, art and science. After 20 years
dedicated to the teaching and learning of science, it was time to return to an old but
neglected desire to develop as an artist. In following an instinct, that art could help
students process and express what they were learning in science, the researcher
discovered John Dewey (1934) and his philosophy on aesthetic experiences. This
thesis was designed to provide the time and resources to create opportunities for
aesthetic experiences in art both for the researcher and the students with whom she
works.
The challenge began with the researcher developing her capacity as an artist.
The first goal was to move from the researcher being limited from creating an exact
copy of what she saw to producing an original piece of art. In conjunction with doing
exercises that developed the five perspectives of drawing outlined by Betty Edwards
(1999) in The New Drawing with the Right Side of the Brain, the goal was to take art
courses that develop the ability to create images from memory and imagination. The
second goal was to provide a similar experience for a small group of junior high
students at the researcher’s school. As the recycling club had recently fused with the
science department, the idea of painting the recycling bins took hold. This tied in well
with the researcher’s recent awareness of the Metropolitan Arts Council and their
2
support for Art in Public Places. The challenge to fuse art, science, and advocating for
arts in public schools all came together in this master culminating experience.
The importance of this project was to build the researcher’s confidence as an
artist so she could grow and thrive as an individual and as a teacher. Growing as an
artist meant expanding both cognitively and creatively. To do this, she needed
aesthetic experiences that opened to new ways of thinking. Art is a unique discipline
that offers this type of human development. Doing art is not only personally rewarding
but also can help develop skills for problem solving in the community. Hopefully the
campus display of student art will support Holmes Junior High’s recycling program
and solve a waste management problem that the researcher’s school was experiencing.
It will also add to the physical beauty of the school and promote arts in public
education. If all goes well, the lessons learned and shared in this project will have a
positive impact on those who participated.
The context in which this thesis occurred was the art courses that the
researcher took and the school in which she taught. The art courses were taken through
Sacramento State University; University of California, Davis; Art Extension; and The
Mendocino Art Center. The school was Holmes Junior High in Davis, California. The
school provided an atmosphere where art was valued by supporting strong music,
theatre, visual art, and industrial art programs as well as several public displays of art.
The art around campus includes a tiled, periodic table mural, an orchestra painted on
the wall outside the music room, a meter box painted as a geologic dig, and painted
doorways. The Metropolitan Arts Council, with the help of Dixie Laws the Arts in
3
Public Places Education Coordinator, provided a context for art beyond the school
campus. The recycling club was the targeted student group to paint the recycling bins.
The steps to educate the researcher and expand her experience to include
students started with art classes. The art courses began in the summer of 2008 with a
week of lessons put on by the California Consultancy for Arts Education. This course
was a great foundation class as it introduced the California State Visual and
Performing Arts Standards. The researcher learned the language of the visual arts, the
six elements of art and four principles of design. She experienced art lessons and how
they could be used in her science program. In the spring of 2009 at Sacramento State,
the Puppet Theatre class provided both technical instruction and an authentic art
experience. The motivation was high to take the class, and the instructor was
exceptional but it was a challenge because everything about it was new. This course
opened a flood gate of options for using theatre in the classroom. Also at Sacramento
State, the researcher took Barrio Art. This course was taken in fall 2009. The intent of
this course was to experience art in a cultural and community context. Individual
drawing and painting courses were taken in Davis the summer of 2009.
Research began in fall 2009 with EDTE 227/226. This is when the researcher
was introduced to John Dewey’s (1934) concept of aesthetic experiences and those
who followed and expanded on his philosophies. In EDTE 250 research focused on
different research and writing approaches, including narrative inquiry. The summer of
2009 was spent researching how to develop one’s self as an artist, how to plan and
fund a school art project, and what materials to use. In the fall of 2009, the researcher
4
applied for and received an arts grant to support the recycling-bin painting project.
Between October 2009 and March 2010, 15 students dedicated roughly 20 hours to the
designing and painting of their own bin. After the first eight bins were painted and
distributed around campus, the researcher committed to extend the project beyond the
time frame of this masters program and include other students that became interested
in painting the remaining 10 bins.
The three areas that guided research were (a) The theory and practice of arts in
education, (b) the development of an artist, and (c) how to go about service learning
and creating public art projects. Research was documented using a triangulation
approach following the narrative inquiry methodology outlined below. All evidence
was organized as a compilation of journals, sketch-pads, and binders. Samples are in
the Appendix.
The application to teaching will develop over time. The goal was to first
develop the researcher on a personal level, build her artistic skills, build her
confidence in doing and sharing art, and develop her creativity skills. To have a handson aesthetic experience that could be passed on to students, first in a small group
setting like the recycling club and, eventually, in lessons designed for the 150 students
that she sees on a daily basis. Ultimately, the goal would be to share art lessons with
others in the science department and promote the role that art has anywhere and
everywhere on campus.
This project also provided the researcher an opportunity to become a leader in
Arts in Education. The public display of the student’s painted bins all over campus
5
demonstrated how art has multiple purposes. Art made the campus more attractive. Art
supported the recycling club’s efforts to increase use of their bins. Art taught the
science behind recycling. Art brought people together for a community project.
Conceivably this will motivate the researcher to do a joint school/city sponsored
public art project: a scale model tour of the solar system painted on the sidewalk (or
bike path) connecting The Davis Farmers Market to the Vet Memorial and Davis High
School (DHS) Performing Arts buildings.
In order to complete this project a glossary of terms was included. Terms were
divided in tandem with the research headings outlined earlier in the chapter: (a)
educational theory, (b) art, and (c) service learning.
Limitations
The limitations experienced during this project were expected. Time and
money restricted the number of art classes that the researcher took. The amount of
funds awarded to the service-learning project eliminated a series of field trips the
researcher wanted to include. Initially the number of students interested in being
involved in the project decided how many recycling bins were painted. Soon it was the
time it took to do the art that impacted the project. Both the researcher and the students
realized that art projects take much longer to complete than expected.
Definitions
Aesthetics: A branch of philosophy concerned with the arts that includes the
definition of beauty and the ascribing of artistic value.
6
Aesthetic experience: The concept of experience that involves the aspects of
doing and undergoing. When the individual experiences something, he both acts upon
it and enjoys or undergoes the consequences of it.
Deweyan: Refers to John Dewey (1934), an educator and philosopher who
emphasized the importance of experimentation and practical applications in education.
Cerebrum: The largest part of the vertebrate brain, consisting of two
hemispheres, that is critical in all kinds of mental activity.
Creativity: The ability to find new solutions to a problem or new modes of
expression: the bringing into existence of something new to the individual and to the
culture.
Differentiated curriculum: Instruction (sometimes referred to as differentiated
learning) that involves providing students with different avenues to acquiring content;
to processing, constructing, or making sense of ideas.
Disposition: the tendency to act in a certain manner under given circumstances
Left Hemisphere: The left half of the cerebrum.
Left-mode: A form of information processing that occurs in the left hemisphere
of the cerebellum that is characterized as linear, verbal, analytic, and logical.
Multiple intelligences: Different human intelligences that educator Howard
Gardner (1989, 2003) claimed learners use to engage and make sense of the world: (a)
language; (b) logical-mathematical analysis; (c) spatial representation; (d) musical
thinking; (e) the use of the body to solve problems or to make things; (f) an
7
understanding of other individuals; and, (g) an understanding of ourselves. Within the
framework of learning with technology, each has a specific role and capacity.
Right Hemisphere: The right half of the cerebrum.
R-mode: A form of information processing that occurs in the right hemisphere
of the cerebellum that is characterized as simultaneous, holistic, spatial, and relational.
Service learning: a method of teaching, learning and reflecting that combines
academic classroom curriculum with meaningful service, frequently youth service,
throughout the community. As a teaching methodology, it falls under the philosophy
of experiential education. More specifically, it integrates meaningful community
service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic
responsibility, encourage lifelong civic engagement, and strengthen communities for
the common good (Legal Information Institute, 2010).
8
Chapter 2
REVIEW OF THE RELEVANT LITERATURE
Art education is an important part of our culture. This literature review
represents research to support that art provides a unique opportunity to develop both
the desire and the cognitive skills to enhance understanding and functioning in our
society. The first section addresses theories and practices of the arts in education. John
Dewey’s (1934) philosophies on aesthetic experiences laid the foundation for how
doing art enables one to attain deep connections and understandings about the world
that human beings live in. Other philosophers and educators followed his lead and put
his theories into action. Section two outlines several sources of instruction available to
develop one’s own drawing and painting skills as well as and techniques to foster
creativity. Section three focuses on service learning and how art can benefit a
community in its pursuit for social and political change.
The purpose of this section was to research several educational philosophies in
curriculum and instruction and to find evidence that the arts play a critical and unique
role in developing complex thinking skills. Exploration of theories and practices were
included to demonstrate how educators have used the arts to improve teaching and
learning and to seek broader and deeper ways of conveying meaning.
This review on the study of curriculum and instruction begins with a synopsis
of a journal article written by Herbert M. Kleibard in 1982. His article, “Education at
the Turn of the Century: A Crucible for Curriculum Change,” focused on the four
major forces that determined American curriculum at the beginning of the 20th
9
century. By the 1890s it was evident that to create and maintain healthy communities,
the role of schools had to take on more responsibilities (Kliebard). Even though 120
years have passed since this realization, educators continue to evaluate and modify
what these responsibilities need to be. Reviewing the steps already taken towards
curricular reform support investigation of this ongoing process. The first two theorists
discussed in the article were centered on the individual. The humanists advocated for
teaching all people the power of reason. One key advocate, Charles Eliot, had a great
respect for human capabilities and advocated for a rigorous education for all. He
believed this form of education would help everyone be prepared for life. He opposed
separate schools for those who were college bound and those who were not (Kliebard).
The developmentalists took the scientific approach that education needed to be
correlated to individual differences. For example, G. Stanley Hall did not believe that
all students should be treated the same and instead advocated that educational
programs be modeled on what is developmentally appropriate for the student. This
form of differentiated curriculum raised concern that people would be sorted into
social and occupational futures that did not reflect their full potential (Kliebard). The
two reforms that followed, the social efficiency educators and the social meliorists saw
education as a system that needed to be structured around institutions not individuals.
One spokesperson, William Torrey Harris, was concerned about the decline in social
order and believed education to be the vehicle for reform (Kliebard). Another, Joseph
Mayer Rice, was determined to eliminate waste and match educational systems with
successful industries (Kliebard). Finally, Lestor Frank Ward, who was influenced by
10
Social Darwinism, stated “Civilization was not achieved by letting blind natural forces
take their course, but by the power of intelligent action to change things for the better”
(Kliebard, p. 20). Curriculum became the mode for social change and social justice.
All four of these curriculum theories are part of education today, as will be seen in the
following sections of this review.
The arts as a curriculum can be used to help individuals address the complex
and ever changing intellectual societal demands. An article from Phi Delta Kappan in
November 2008 (Nathan) summarized why and how The Boston Arts Academy used
art curriculum as the model to educate their students and benefit their community.
This alternative public school accepted students based on their passion for the arts.
The school’s philosophy was that, worldwide, the performing and visual arts have
been the foundation of recorded history and, therefore, would naturally engage
students of widely varying abilities and provide them with the opportunities for
learning and expression of ideas. The following quote expressed their beliefs:
Our curriculum – in both in arts and academic classrooms and studios – has
given our students an ability to understand and empathize with differences.
The arts keep students engaged. They are disciplines that embrace creativity,
inquiry, perspective taking, and problem solving. The arts help us imagine
scenarios beyond our own realities and provide pathways to unexplored
possibilities in our lives. (Nathan, p. 179)
The school had a predominately African American and Hispanic student population,
many second language learners, over 13% with learning disabilities, about 60%
11
qualifying for financial assistance in the form of free and reduced lunch, and yet more
than 95% of these students were college bound (Nathan). One of their successes was
the senior project. Students were required to do a project that not only was
introspective, but also involved others. One such project, that involved creating theater
improvisational classes for youth in the community, was the product of four years of
learning about communication through body and facial movements. In this project,
younger students would learn to express their concerns through writing, acting,
singing, and performing in their local community centers. The goal was to “give the
youth a place of refuge from the negativity of society and also teach them how to
safely express themselves” (Nathan, p. 180). The school believed that the arts offer
students a way to explore and react to a world that is often cruel and complicated. The
arts also provide them with a medium to solve problems and improve their situations.
This program exemplified all the ideas discussed by Kliebard (1982).
John Dewey’s (1934) theory, that human beings needed aesthetic experiences
to grow and thrive, precipitated the idea that the arts were a vehicle to provide these
experiences in the classroom. These ideas were outlined in his 1934 book, Art as
Experience. In this text he defined aesthetic experience, defended the notion that art
was an aesthetic experience, and proposed that learning through the arts was an
essential part of curriculum design. Aesthetic experiences are personal and rewarding.
They begin when something that occurred in one’s present brought about a past event
or emotion that inspired and drove a deeper involvement in the occurrence. The
experience involved the individual seeking a restructuring of the event, a different
12
more personal ordering of the elements experienced, a struggle with the intellectual
and the emotional aspects, and after time, a more orderly and harmonious culminating
state of being. As long as the experience ran its natural course, was not mechanized or
rushed, the aesthetic qualities of appreciation and enjoyment were attained because of
the unity it created (Dewey). Dewey believed learning was inherently aesthetic and
that educators needed to create environments that supported this approach to teaching
and learning. His quote “learning is a continuous dynamic process of the
reconstructions of experience” (K. D. Benson, lecture, fall 2008) supported his belief.
His defense that art was unique in its contribution to aesthetic learning was based on
the belief that art itself was aesthetic. His high regard for the arts was evident when he
wrote “the idea of art as a conscious idea is the greatest intellectual achievement in the
history of humanity” (Dewey, p. 26).
Dewey (1934) applied the elements of aesthetic experiences to the experience of
art. Because many other educators used his work to advocate for the arts, it is important
to review this connection. Doing art in an aesthetic way demonstrated how humans have
the potential to enjoy and endure complex tasks. Dewey believed that art involved doing
something as well as experiencing an underlying emotional drive and attachment that
unified it (Dewey). Enjoyment came because the artist experienced the action and the
perceptions simultaneously (Dewey). The artist began the task because he or she was
motivated to create a new order. Satisfaction occurred because the identification and
display of these relationships gave meaning and purpose to the art experience. The artist,
the object produced, and the observer all experienced an emotional undergoing when the
13
mutual adaptation of self was surrendered, the tension received, and the emotion of
recreating was experienced. The final work of the artist was to build an aesthetic
experience, coherent in perception and product, to communicate deep understanding and
meaning (Dewey). The identification and display of these relationships provided a
culminating satisfaction because it encompassed the aim, the transformations of
emotional thought and purpose, to the art.
Even though Dewey’s (1934) ideas were written over 60 years ago, he
influenced other educational philosophers. His ideas were evident in the writings of
two other educators, Arnstine (1967) and Eisner (1998). They, too, advocated for the
arts as a unique and invaluable academic discipline, and their contributions are
outlined below.
Arnstine (1967) built his pedagogy for good teaching and learning on Dewey’s
(1934) philosophy of making education aesthetic. Feeling emotionally attached was
critical to creating an environment conducive to learning. In his 1967 book Philosophy
of Education: Learning and Schooling Arnstine stated: “new meanings are not
acquired independent of change in disposition, which is to say, of one’s tendency to
act” (p. 340). People needed to be disposed to engage in the act of learning. Students
needed a sense of relevancy and meaning before they were motivated to do the kind of
work that resulted in true learning (Arnstine). In an aesthetic learning experience
students would be actively involved in the decisions. They would be in control of the
ordering of new knowledge (Arnstine). Arnstine believed if the teacher delivered too
much of the curriculum already constructed, the lack of student control would create a
14
less thoughtful and useful end result. Instead of training independent creative thinkers
that society valued, students would be dependent on others for their success.
Not only did students need to be disposed to learn, Arnstine (1967) stated that
teachers needed that too. It was imperative that teachers be highly skilled. They must
model the type of dispositions they were teaching students. A teacher also needed to
direct activities that follow the natural course of learning. “He must have a tendency to
see content in its role as an aesthetic cue, as a prod to curiosity, or as a cue to
awareness of a problem, and see it as supplying the material for pursuit of these
initiating situations” (Arnstine, p. 370). A rushed, capricious, or mechanical sequence
of lessons would not be Deweyan. In order to set the right decisions for learning,
teachers needed to understand that students have different starting places and work at
different paces. As long as a person had learned to learn, he or she would have the
capacity to be content. This person could think and adapt to the changing
surroundings, participate and contribute in a democratic society, and also develop his
own aims and purposes (Arnstine). In Deweyan terms, this experience would qualify
as meaningful, orderly, progressive, intelligent, and satisfyingly complete. In terms of
the arts, Arnstine believed the power to imagine was central to cultural development
and, thus, essential to human progress (p. 20). Eisner would develop this idea in more
detail.
The Richards Institute of Education and Research (n.d.) which began in 1969
provided a curriculum called Education Through Music, also as known as ETM. This
curriculum put both Dewey’s (1934) and Arnstine’s (1967) theories into practice. The
15
activities they developed were aesthetic lessons because they were crafted to create the
disposition necessary for learning. Using imagination and symbolization through song,
movement and interactive play, the ultimate intent was building intelligence. The
magic of the program was how it created a safe and naturally nurturing and stabilizing
environment. In the mid 1980s the institute’s research in developmental
neuropsychology in music and learning brought new understandings in how the brain
functioned and helped explain how ETM developed focus and attentiveness while
reducing distractibility. While the ETM curriculum stabilized the emotional system,
promoting self-monitoring and motivation, it also promoted complex symbolization
abilities, thus increasing meaning, understanding, and literacy (Richards Institute). The
combined affective and effective nature of the program made it aesthetic. The joyful
nature that it instilled in students created the disposition that is necessary to motivate
them to work hard at the tasks to follow. The program proclaimed, “With a stabilized
emotional-cognitive system, the intellect is free to fully develop” (Richards Institute,
para. 3). The nature of this arts based curriculum was designed to be inherently
compelling and thoughtful so children could develop skills and expand their
imaginations. The institute’s web site included many reports of the successes people
had experienced with the program, as well as numerous course offerings and seminars
for both adults and children.
The 1960s ideas that Arnstine (1967) outlined, the importance of disposition
and creating the best environments for learning, continued to be expanded upon.
Roughly 20 years later, educators saw the benefits of using Howard Gardner’s theory
16
of Multiple Intelligences (MI) (1989, 2003) in designing lessons that were relevant
and meaningful to students. Gardner was interested in deep understanding,
performance, exploration, creativity, and how MI could help one to understand the
conditions within which education took place (Smith, 2008). Gardner and another
researcher viewed intelligence “as the capacity to solve problems and fashion products
that were valued by one or more cultural settings” (Gardner & Hatch, 1989, p. 5).
Because people had a unique blend of intelligences, it made sense that educators use a
curriculum that used MI as a conceptual framework for organizing and assessing
curriculum. It accommodated and showed respect for different learning styles.
Meanwhile 20 years past his original research, Gardner’s involvement in Project Zero
has expanded his theories into several research projects.
The mission now included enhancing learning, thinking, and creativity in the
arts (Project Zero, n.d.). In his own reflective essay written in 2003 Gardner wrote:
I have become increasingly fascinated by the ways in which societal activities
and domains of knowledge emerge and become periodically
reconfigured…The culturally constructed spheres of knowledge must bear
some kind of relation to the kinds of brains and minds that human beings have,
and the ways that those brains and grow and develop in different cultural
settings. (Gardner, para. 21)
This statement reflects the many educators who are disposed to expanding their
professional capacities and to seeking new ways to create the best ways to design
curriculum.
17
Educators continued to use Arnstine’s (1967) principle of developing
dispositions in students and Howard Gardner’s (1989, 2003) multiple intelligences
and look to arts as a means to an aesthetic, rich curriculum. This was evident in a
public school in New Jersey called Glen Rock. Joseph S. Amorino (2008) wrote an
article about a grant that this school obtained to fund a three-year professional
development program using the arts to expand and re-invent teachers’ practices. He
paraphrased their concerns when he stated “teachers wanted instructional strategies
that would encourage students to form original ideas, improve their conceptual and
creative thinking, and expand their propensity to explore, discover, and learn in ways
that did not lead to predetermined outcome” (Amorino, p. 190). The way they chose to
meet their request was through the arts. The school was transformed. The addition of
the arts enabled them to open new ways of thinking. By providing lessons that
encompassed sensory, emotional, kinesthetic, and cognitive processes, they were able
to experience and assess a broader aspect of intellect. Teachers learned that creativity
could not be summoned on command, but could be taught by exploring varied
materials, making connections, and keeping solutions open. One teacher stated, “As
educators, we can’t just tell students to come with ideas and be creative. It doesn’t
work that way. We have to provide classroom experiences that evoke idea formation
at its roots” (Amorino, p. 193). Workshops in clay formation, painting, music, and
dance had implications for teaching writing, science, social studies, and mathematics.
More importantly, the staff learned that integrating the arts nurtured global
18
intelligence, spoke to emotional literacy, fostered innovative thought processing, and
cultivated life long learning.
Eisner (1998), educator, artist, philosopher, and follower of Dewey (1934),
argued for three critically significant educational aims: an increase in variety and
depth of meaning, the continued development of cognitive skills, and educational
equity. Eisner’s combined experience with the arts and art education motivated him to
analyze how people find meaning in their lives and how schools can be designed to
foster cognitive diversity. In his book The Kind of Schools We Need, he wrote about
expanding the types of learning experiences people are due, about the unique cognitive
skills art education provides, and about how the subtleties learned through art can help
in the understanding and, ultimately, the advancement of teaching and learning. Eisner
fused Dewey’s ideas of what is inherently human and how these ideas could drive
teaching and learning. Like Dewey he believed human beings desire order, as they
have a “low tolerance for homeostasis; seek stimulation, exploring and resolving
problems, give order to the world” (Eisner, p. 40). He believed that meaning was
constructed through experience and that experience depended on the ability to access
the qualitative world (Eisner). He was concerned about the current narrow mindedness
of education and that of limiting cognition to only language-based thought and
standardized assessments. His view of education was broader. In his statement,
“genuine education process cultivates productive idiosyncrasies. It does not
homogenize children into standardized forms” (Eisner, p. 18), he emphasized the need
19
for a curriculum that is more congruent with how humans as individuals and as
communities are designed to grow and develop.
Eisner (1998) analyzed cognition and representation. He believed that
cognition developed through constructing and sharing meaning. He proposed that
finding meaning from one’s surroundings was not innate, rather it was learned, and
one single approach for all was not an adequate method to develop the type of
educated individuals society needed. Because he believed people think in language as
well as in visual images, gestures, and patterned sounds, they needed to be exposed to
a wide variety of forms of representation. The form of representation influenced the
process of thinking and, thus, its products. He stated that people were shaped by the
forms they were able to experience and “competency in the use of representation
provides access to a particular form’s experience and therefore ways of
understanding” (Eisner, p. 52). He believed a school’s role was to provide multiple
forms of literacy so students could experience many forms of representation and the
many meanings they provided. The transition from cognition to representation was a
transformation from an internal state to a public state. This complex process required
training. The words “nothing is as slippery as a thought” accentuated Eisner’s belief
that schools needed to educate students in all means possible so they could personalize
and communicate their thoughts.
Eisner (1998) made the case that the arts role in education was very important.
The arts were mind altering devices, highly cognitive, and necessary for understanding
complex systems. Since we experience more than we can articulate through words,
20
Eisner suggested that art was the medium to express more of what we know. Art
enlarged knowledge in ways unique to its form. Through art, a person experienced
qualitative nuances about the world. Unlike Plato, who was suspect of the limitations
of the sensory input, Eisner thought sensory stimuli were very important. The senses
were an extension of the brain and capable of extracting and processing a lot of
meaning. The transformation from perception to creation was highly cognitive. The
act of refinement of perception of the idiosyncratic features found in an object or in an
experience, and the creation of a form that succeeds in revealing both the essential and
unique features as well as the generalizations teaches about abstraction. Abstraction
involved seeing relationships, focusing and selecting, the same skills that people
needed to understand complex phenomena. Eisner also wrote that the act of expressing
art allowed people to find their individual capacity to feel and imagine. Building
capacity to transform ideas, images and feelings into multiple forms taught people to
explore ambiguity and multiple perspectives. Eisner argued that all of these important
cognitive skills could and should be taught in school through the arts. “Arts in
education can teach the lesson that life can be led as a work a work of art. In doing so,
the maker himself or herself is remade, this remaking, this recreation is at heart of the
process of education” (Eisner, p. 56).
Eisner (1998) also reflected on how to evoke change in current education
practices. Education was built from concepts tested through the scientific method.
Eisner argued that tightly controlled experiments did not reflect the complex “messy”
ecosystems of the typical classroom. Good teaching could not be mandated, it must be
21
grown. He proposed that the subtleties of art could help people understand the
subtleties of teaching and learning. To Eisner, teaching and learning was an art form.
He reiterated the skills that are learned through the arts. His statement “the qualitative
world is immediate before it is mediated, presentational before it is representational,
sensuous before it is symbolic” (Eisner, p. 117) demonstrated how the challenges of
life are processed through the arts. Art could cultivate what is individual and
distinctive. Art could awaken people from stock responses and develop skills to create
wide awareness. Through art people could experience ambiguity, generate empathy,
and transform contents of consciousness into a public form. Art could help people
understand what they have learned not to see. Art invents. “Experience can never be
displayed in the form it initially appeared; the act of representation is also an act of
invention” (Eisner, p. 12). Eisner thought education was ripe for reinvention. Art was
powerful and illuminating; creating a paradox of revealing what is universal by
examining what is particular. He believed that an artistically crafted change through
coherence, imagery, and particularity could help make sense of an otherwise
incoherent complex system.
There were many curriculums that were coherent with Eisner’s (1998) vision.
His statement that
becoming acculturated means acquiring the multiple forms of literacy that
enable one to encode or decode the public vehicles through which meaning is
represented or recovered. One major virtue of any particular form is its
capacity to convey or express unique meanings (Eisner, p. 26)
22
made the case that one form does not fit all needs. Each unique discipline provides a
unique outcome. One example of providing a form of representation that allows
students to experience a unique capacity was the Orff Schulwerk developmental
approach to music education for children. It provided a complete, Deweyan, aesthetic
experience and, in Eisner’s (1998) terms, it allowed students to express themselves in
a public format. Beginning with very rudimentary forms of signing, rhyming and
instrument playing in a non-competitive atmosphere, this highly improvisational
approach was designed to build a sense of confidence and interest in the creative
process. Children worked in groups that built coordination and cohesion. They played
traditional songs and composed their own pieces. The prime philosophy was that
“learning is meaningful only if it brings satisfaction to the learner, and satisfaction
arises from the ability to use acquired knowledge for the purpose of creating”
(Amorino, 2008, p. 190). This was true for both the teachers and the students. “Orff
Schulwerk was synonymous with endless variation” (Amorino, p. 193). The openended nature of this art form taught young children preliminary skills necessary for the
more complex problem solving that lay ahead.
Another example of finding the right form of representation for the problem
that needs to be solved was the Theatre of the Oppressed (n.d.). This art form
exemplified two of Eisner’s ideas: the “paradox of revealing what is universal by
examining what is particular” (Eisner, 1998, p. 151) and “distilling complex
information into special analysis that display structural features of the phenomena
people wish to understand” (Eisner, p.72). The Theatre of the Oppressed began in
23
1971 in Brazil with the specific goal of solving local problems. Through the use of a
series of theatrical games, each designed for a unique outcome, both trained actors and
the public used a form of planned improvisational techniques to act out scenarios to
elicit discussion and transformation. During Forum theatre, the purpose was
specifically to address a situation of oppression. The actors and the public staged all
possible solutions, ideas, interventions and reactions. The ultimate goal was to allow
for a “sincere analysis of the real possibilities of using these suggestions in real life”
and, thus, the intent of the Forum theatre was a “collective rehearsal for real life”
(para. 1). The ideas formulated from the artistic experience were brought to local
governing boards and used to mandate legislation.
The last 100 years has been a journey with educators and philosophers using
curriculum as a mode for improving societies. Now that so many different cultures
interact more closely, and issues need global communication, a greater need exists for
a curriculum that teaches open mindedness and seeing different perspectives. Dewey
(1934), Arnstine (1967), and Eisner (1998) looked at the arts to teach these unique
skills. The opportunity to teach this was eloquently described in a book called, In
Praise of Shadows by Jun’ichiro Tanizaki (1977). It contrasted an average Western
love of bright light to the Japanese love of diffuse light. By describing how light was
perceived and transformed into Japanese art and culture, Tanizaki made Eisner’s belief
that visual information presents information directly, not mediated by language, very
real. Tanizaki described delicate shadows and diffuse rays of light moving into a
space. He explained how the love of this kind of light developed over time because of
24
environmental and cultural influences. Ancestors learned how to appreciate and be
content with dark houses and the way they let in small amounts of light. They saw that
light created beauty in its shadows and interactions. Tanizaki described how soft skin
tones were thought to be beautifully illuminated and contrasted by dark hair and dark
clothing. He explained why the pottery pieces seen in Japanese Tea Rooms were made
with glazes of copper and silver patinas because they created beauty and mystery in
the deep dark hues on the pieces. It was through the author’s sharing of this art form
that the reader was able to experience what Eisner believed possible: “competency in
the use of a form of representation provides access to a particular forms experience
and therefore ways of understanding” (Tanazaki, p. 52).
In conclusion, after researching educational theory and practice, the type of
learning environments, academic skills, and personal satisfaction that were being
sought out were the same ones found in the arts curriculum. The best practices that
were developed by John Dewey (1934), Donald Arnstine (1967), and Elliot Eisner
(1998) were available in the curriculum of Howard Gardner (1989, 2003), Education
Through Music (Richards Institute, n.d.), Orff Schulwerk, and the Theatre of the
Oppressed. The Boston Arts Academy and Glen Rock Public Schools emphasized the
arts and saw both their students and teachers thrive.
This section of the literature review focuses on three art books that taught how
to develop artistic capabilities. Each book emphasized that art was a unique and
powerful way of thinking and communicating and that art was intensely personal. Two
of the books, Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain (Edwards, 1999) and Painting as
25
a Language (Robertson & McDaniel, (2000), were a series of exercises designed to
develop specific skills, not only on how to draw and paint, but also on what to draw
and paint. The third book, The Artist’s Way (Cameron, 2002), was also a series of
exercises. These lessons were about finding and developing one’s own creativity. The
intent of reading these books was to gain the skills and authentic experiences
necessary to lead a community art project with junior high students.
Betty Edward’s (1999) philosophy on the importance of art is evident in the
preface of her book, Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. In the following quote
she linked being trained in art as also being trained in problem solving.
…the arts are essential for training specific, visual, perceptual ways of
thinking, just as the “3R’s” are essential for training specific, verbal numerical
ways of thinking. I believe that both thinking modes – one to comprehend the
details and the other to “see” the whole picture, for example, are vital for
critical thinking skills, extrapolation of meaning and problem solving.
(Edwards, p. XIII)
Her premise stated that drawing is a skill that can and should be taught. She
acknowledged that public schools want students to be able to transfer skills learned in
art to other subject areas but that this transfer of learning is challenging. If left to
chance it will not happen. Her solution to this challenge has been to teach art as a set
of problem solving skills. Edwards thinks of art in a gestalt way and used the term
global to describe its wholeness. She believed that drawing is a global, whole skill
requiring only a limited set of basic components. Once one learned the components
26
and have integrated them, one can draw fluently without having to go back and relearn
the steps. She has developed seminars and seen the transfer of the lessons learned
during her art sessions into solutions in the work place (Edwards).
This text can be read to learn about how the brain solves problems as well as
how to learn to draw. Two major concepts were taught concurrently, how the right and
left brain function and how they integrate with the five basic skills of drawing. The
exercises, the drawing lessons, were designed to train the dominant left hemisphere to
step away and allow the more artistic right hemisphere to do the drawing. Edwards
(1999) believed that learning to draw is more than learning the skill itself. Learning to
draw entails seeing and processing information in a different way than from seeing
and processing information in daily life. “The magical mystery of drawing ability
seems to be, in part at least, an ability to make a shift in brain state to a different mode
of seeing and perceiving” (Edwards, p. 4). Edwards wanted the learner to be conscious
and capable of accessing the right brain, the R-mode, when processing information.
The R-mode is strong in visual, non-verbal, and perceptual tasks. The right brain is the
imaginative, intuitive, divergent thinker, the very aspects that art education wants to
develop. The left brain, the L-mode, is verbal, analytic, and quick to interpret and
resolve a task. Because the left brain will shun tasks that are too detailed, too slow, or
too time consuming, the drawing exercises in this book require the brain to do tasks of
that nature.
According to Edwards (1999), there are five basic drawing skills and two
advanced skills beyond the five. In this text, Edwards focused on the basic five:
27
perception of edges, perception of spaces, perception of relationships, perception of
light and shadows, perceptions of the whole, or the gestalt (Edwards). The intent of all
the art lessons was to help the reader express their creative side. Edwards stated
My aim is to provide the means for releasing that potential, for gaining access
at a conscious level to your inventive, intuitive, imaginative powers, that may
have been largely untapped by our verbal, technological cultural and
educational system. (Edwards, p. 6)
The first exercises on edges and spaces challenged the left brain to step back and
evoked the right brain to gain control by creating conflicts. The drawings required
sketching the edges of objects without looking for meaning, either by not looking at
the object or looking at the object upside down. The brain was forced to draw exactly
what it saw, not what it thought the final product should look like. Since much of what
is seen is changed or interpreted by past experiences, these exercises teach a different
kind of perception. Edwards stated “Learning perception through drawing seems to
change this process and to allow a different, more direct kind of seeing. The brain’s
editing is somehow put on hold, thereby permitting one to see more fully and perhaps
more realistically” (Edwards, p. XXV).
The next exercises taught perception of spaces with the use of a picture frame,
also known as a view finder. They taught how to create a three dimensional image
onto a two-dimensional page. The purpose of these drawings was not only to create a
realistic picture, but also to introduce the artist’s perception. Here the artist’s
personality influences the drawing as choices for emphasis come into place. The
28
concept of composition was introduced as well as the importance of sizing and seeing
both positive and negative spaces. This was also when the drawings started to look
good.
The art of drawing relationships was learning how to draw in perspective and
in proportion. The skills required some left-brain tasks, as they included counting and
measuring, dealing with ratios, and comparing horizontal and vertical angles. The
other aspect of sighting and drawing a three-dimensional world was accepting the
contradictory information in which angles that are in, actuality, ninety degrees angles
appear larger or smaller. Here Edwards (1999) once again linked how a component of
drawing concurrently teaches a life skill. Being aware of the discrepancies of what one
truly sees and what one assumes allows a person to be more aware of other paradoxes
in life. Edwards described sighting as powerful and “intellectually fascinating”
(Edwards, p. 139). It is a skill that takes time to master and, like any other challenge,
is very rewarding when accomplished.
The last four drawing exercises involved portraits. All five components were
applied: perceiving and drawing edges, spaces and relationships, two new additions of
light and shadows, and the gestalt of the model. Creating portraits was also described
as an opportunity for artists to communicate their personality through their work.
a portrait can reveal not only the appearance and personality (the gestalt) of the
sitter but also the soul of the artist. Paradoxically, the more clearly the artist
sees the sitter, the more clearly the viewer can see through the likeness to
perceive the artist…because we are searching for you through the images you
29
draw…the more clearly you see, the better you will draw, and the more you
will express yourself to yourself and to others. (Edwards, 1999, p. 162)
Upon completion of the fifth portrait, comparisons from before-instruction
drawings and after-instruction drawings revealed obvious skill development. There
was a shift from left hemisphere symbol-based drawings developed from childhood to
more complex realistic drawings as an adult. The right hemisphere drawings are “more
linked to actual perceptual information from out there, drawn from the present
moment, not from memorized symbols of the past” (Edwards, 1999, p. 224).
Robertson and McDaniel (2000) wrote Painting as a Language to help readers
discover how and what to paint. Embodied within lessons about what materials to
purchase and how to complement colors was a wealth of insight on what painters paint
and what they were communicating in their paintings. Many of the lessons introduced
in Edwards’ drawing book were revisited in this text. The overall purpose however
was to take the artist to the next more personal level. The exercises encouraged
looking inward and asking one self what wanted to come out. The authors’ philosophy
was evident in this passage: “Powerful content, a visual communication that sings,
occurs only when an artist selects a subject which is personally meaningful and
becomes adept at shaping and interpreting that material through the visual (or plastic)
language of painting” (Robertson & McDaniel, p. 2). Even though the text was
intended to be used in conjunction with a year long college course, it could be viewed
as an inspiring and useful resource for a first time painter. No matter the situation of
the reader, the authors’ intent was “to encourage you to become more fully aware of
30
how the conception of painting as a language empowers you, both as a potential
creator and viewer of other artworks” (Robertson & McDaniel, p. 11).
Robertson and McDaniel (2000) identified the four interactive layers of
meaning that make up a painting: the physical materials, the painting techniques, the
formal elements, and the cognitive (intellectual) meaning. The physical materials
included pigments, mediums, brushes, and different canvas. Techniques included the
sequencing of layering paint from under drawing and blocking in the larger shapes
through under painting and painting with mediums to alter qualities of the paint, as
well as lessons, on brush shapes and their uses. The form of a painting included the
physical structure, for instance, the dimensions, the specific representation as seen in
the object, visual elements like lines, colors and textures, and, finally, the composition
in which all the formal elements act in unison. The cognitive meaning of the paintings
was in the emotional, symbolic, and narrative connotations. The magic of the book
was that all of these elements were well supported with color images of paintings that
represented them.
The chapter on color discussed “Along with its role in creating form, color
contributes in powerful ways to a painting’s content, sometimes in several ways
simultaneously” (Robertson & McDaniel, 2000, p. 41). Color represents emotion and
symbolizes cultural and spiritual content. Knowing about local color and color optics
included how to use lighting conditions to identify hues and tints, shadows, and
reflections to make a painting more realistic. The use of arbitrary colors is useful in
creating non-realistic images. Even the placement of adjacent colors impacts how they
31
are perceived. Multiple exercises and examples were dedicated to color vocabulary,
color schemes, color palettes, and the properties of different paints and how to alter
them.
The chapter on the still life offered good advice on starting with the whole, the
overall composition.
…by paying attention to only one object (or part of an object) at a time, in all
likelihood the complete painting will suffer. Without the construction of
compelling relationships among the parts, the finished painting will lack that
emphasis on the whole which is what visually matters most in the final
analysis….you should aim to have the whole painting be more than the sum of
its parts. (Robertson & McDaniel, 2000, p. 57)
Some suggestions to ensure this wholeness included looking for the largest shapes
first, identifying positive and negative shapes, establishing a visual rhythm, and
articulating the picture with a sense of balance either symmetrical or asymmetrical.
Also, the authors pointed out that the history and meaning of the still life is
much more complex than the descriptor, an arrangement of immobile objects, implies.
A still life is a painting exercise that can display an artist’s technical skill at replicating
natural textures, light and color. They stated, “an object also reflects needs, beliefs,
preferences, and social conditions of the time and place in which it is made”
(Robertson & McDaniel, 2000, p. 70). A still life can tell a hidden story, a cultural
value, and/or a moral or allegorical message rich in personal symbolism. This was also
the case in the chapter on a place as subject matter. In a Chinese landscape man is
32
muted by the grand and awesome natural surroundings, because that reflects that
particular culture’s order. In all paintings of space, the scene is shown from the artist’s
viewpoint and, thus, is very personal.
Not only was this painting textbook teaching about technique, it expected time
to be spent finding one’s personal voice through journal writing and meditation. All
the painting lessons were based on assumption that “expressing yourself in a personal
voice in writing will help you discover your personal voice in painting” (Robertson &
McDaniel, 2000, p. 14). Journal writing should happen sometimes early in the painting
process, often during the late stages, and always at the end. Visiting museums and
checking out art books and writing about those experiences will foster an increased
awareness of the art form and inspire creativity. The connections between the journal
entries and the painting exercises were especially powerful and useful in the chapter
on self-portraits.
Julia Cameron (2002) wrote, “it is not too late or too egotistical or too selfish
or too silly to work on your creativity” (p. xxii). Her book, The Artist’s Way: A
Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity, took the reader through 10 weeks of introspective
topics in order to discover and recover their creative selves. She stated that the term
creativity is quite literally taken from the word creator and that creativity is a spiritual
experience. Two of her 10 basic principles set the tone for the entire book: “#4. We
are, ourselves, creations. And we, in turn, are meant to continue creativity by being
creative ourselves (and) #6. The refusal to be creative is self will and is counter to our
33
true nature” (Cameron, p. 3). Many of the exercises were based on looking into past
experiences to either remove blocks or retrieve core beliefs.
Like Robertson and McDaniel (2000), Cameron (2002) believed journaling
was a vital step in the creative process. Her two pivotal tools for creative recovery
were the morning pages and the artist date. (Cameron). The purpose of morning pages
was to remove obstacles that tend to block creativity. They in and of themselves were
not art. The only requirement was they needed to be written every morning, and they
needed to be three pages long. Like Edwards (1999), Cameron believed the logical left
brain tended to dominate the right brain. In this case the left brain acts like a censor.
The act of journaling allows “us to the other side: the other side of our fear, of our
negativity, of our moods. Above all they get us beyond our censor” (Cameron, p. 12).
Without the censor the artistic, creative, and holistic brain can come out. Altering
brain hemispheres also lowers stress and, thus, allows the opportunity to connect with
a creative source and have creative insights (Cameron). The artist date is a block of
time, roughly two hours a week, spent in solitude, either walking, shopping, or visiting
an art gallery with the purpose of insight, inspiration, and guidance. “The language of
art is image, symbol. It is a wordless language…a sensual one, a language of felt
experience. When we work at our art, we dip into the well of our experiences and
scoop out images” (Cameron, p. 21). The artist brain cannot be filled with ideas alone.
It needs to sense the environment to build the elemental stuff of art.
Cameron’s book was about integrity. “If you want to work on your art, work
on your life” (Cameron, 2002, p. 80). People get lost in the fantasy of art. Art,
34
however, is grounded in reality. The more one understands the self, one’s values and
truths, the more able to live in the moment, contact the creative self and do original
authentic work. The combination of reading Cameron’s book, responding to all the
personal questions, writing the morning pages, and committing to the artist’s dates
requires time. It means not doing other things. One suggestion was eliminating
distractions. For instance, Cameron suggested a time of reading deprivation. Instead of
spending hours getting lost in reading someone else’s story, become aware of one’s
own existence.
Art is an act of tuning in and dropping down the well. It is as though all
stories, paintings, music, performances in the world live just under the
surface of our normal consciousness. Like an underground river, they
flow through us as a stream of ideas that we can tap into. As artists, we
drop in the well into the stream. We hear what’s down there and we act
on it. (Cameron, p. 118)
Through this focused time, the artist can hear her own inner voice and create her own
story.
The next section of this review focuses on integrating art with other curricula.
The first journal article addressed the creativity that art brings to other curricular
endeavors. The second and third articles tie art projects to service learning. The fourth
one in this series introduces community based art projects as means to address social
political issues. Since the intent of this review was two-fold, developing artistic skills
35
and leading a community project, these articles provide valuable information to
connect the two objectives.
In the article, “Connecting Art, Learning, and Creativity: A Case for
Curriculum Integration,” Julia Marshall (2005) suggested that asking students to create
works of art and analyze works of art will help them become aware of their own
learning process and that meta-cognition will in turn make them better learners in all
disciplines (Marshall). This article stated that creating an art piece recycles, reframes,
and adapts existing ideas into something new. Since doing art is congruent with how
we think and learn; the integration of art with any learning experience is a strategy that
is authentic, issue-based and in alignment with postmodern theory. In addition,
integrating art lessons with other content lessons develops cognitive skills. Marshall
referred to Lakoff and Johnson and to Thorton, when she explained the terms they
used for the learning modalities “weaving and spinning” (Marshall, p. 231). These
terms show the inherent connection between learning and creativity. The term
weaving describes learning through making connections obtained from past
experience and reading others’ work. Weaving in art occurs when images are selected
to create meaning. The term spinning describes taking ideas further and creating
something new. Art plays with concepts and puts them into new contexts. Marshall
used Barbara Maria Stafford’s art term collage to describe how the mind works and
used it to emphasize the connection between art and mental processes (p. 234). During
the art making process, ideas are selected and abstract ideas are generated when
images are collaged. “In contemporary, postmodern art we find clear examples of
36
collaging as a common and effective strategy for amplifying ideas, framing reality and
workings of the mind” (Marshall, p. 234). Integration of art into the content has
implications for teaching and learning. Teachers’ roles change. They are no longer
seen as “mere distributors of information or trainers of skills, but as connectionmakers who “weave” nets between disparate areas of knowledge” (Marshall, p. 240).
This shift will promote understanding and creativity in an authentic way.
An example of connecting art with other learning opportunities is seen in
Pamela Taylor’s 2002 article, “Service Learning as Post Modern Art and Pedagogy.”
Taylor looked at art as a civic responsibility, as well as an opportunity for authentic
learning. When restating the post modern artist and critic Estella Conwill Majozo’s
quote, “Our relevance as human beings can be seen in the meaning of our acts as
artists” (Majozo, 1995, p. 88), Taylor advocated for artists to work outside of their
studios and classrooms and work with the community. Works of art can be a catalyst
for environmental awareness as seen in the work of Dominique Mazeud’s performance
piece, The Great Cleansing of the Rio Grande. This ongoing combination of
ceremony, teaching, and collaborative efforts functioned socially and politically.
Taylor called Mazeud’s art-for-the-earth a form of ritual art of service. Ritual art of
service expands what art is, as well as who can do art. All of the participants have an
impact and reflect on their contributions and, thus, experience service learning. Taylor
recalled that the idea of service learning is based on John Dewey’s (1938/1963) theory
of experience, and she restated his belief by writing “Dewey explained that all genuine
education came through connective experience” (Taylor, p. 127). In service learning
37
the teacher and the student are co-learners and co-workers. “Probably the most crucial
aspect of service learning theory is this reciprocity” (Taylor, p. 128). There is constant
and meaningful dialog ensuring that the work being done benefits both the providers
and recipients of the efforts. Taylor quoted Ernest Boyer, the author of Creating the
New American College, “The aim of education is not only to prepare students for
productive careers, but also to enable them to live lives of dignity and purpose”
(Boyer, 1994, p. 77). Taylor’s conviction that working with a community and making
a difference for all those involved is the foundation of service learning and
postmodern art. This is evident in the following summative statements about her
research.
This research may extend the purposes of art education to not only include the
power of the arts to educate, but to provide the service opportunities that
transform and give us meaning in our lives.…a postmodern view of art is
inclusive of much more than simply making things called art….important to a
postmodern service learning art education would be the choices of work of art
and activities to present. (Taylor, p. 137)
In other words, what artists chose to create and what they intend to communicate have
a huge potential to impact society. This implied a great responsibility put onto
postmodern artists.
Pamela Taylor (2002) wrote extensively on service learning. In “Service
Learning: A Language of ‘We,” which she co-authored with Christine BallengeeMorris and Taylor (2004), the purpose was to differentiate between community service
38
and service learning. The latter is “a structured and theoretically grounded practice in
which services experienced are directly connected to academic objectives” (BallengeeMorris & Taylor, p. 6). Even though it is structured, service learning is still based on a
communally recognized need. The authors explain the five aspects of “we” that create
the needs-based structure that characterizes service-learning: we plan, we learn, we
reflect, we trust, we hope, and we care. We plan means the ideas are authentic to the
community’s needs. We learn means both the community and the students learn from
each other. We reflect means participants discuss and write about the experience. The
“personal reflection is critical to the individual’s growth within service learning”
(Ballengee-Morris & Taylor, p. 8). We trust means the project is changed and
modified as needed by those involved and the timeline is reasonable. We hope means
that the experience is enduring and has implications to life beyond the project. The
authors quoted Freire from his 1973 work Education for Critical Consciousness
…service learning experiences must assist us in critically perceiving how we
exist in the world. Through such experiences we may learn to see a world not
as a static reality in which we function according to the rules and values of the
dominant culture, but as a process of transformation. (Ballengee-Morris &
Taylor, p. 9)
The hope also implied a deeper understanding of the potential of a collaborative
process. We care differentiates between the phrase someone must do something from
the phrase we must do something. Several examples of service learning experiences in
art education included studying projects like the AIDS quilt then creating letters and
39
cards to local hospital patients, creating place mats for local food kitchens, having
secondary art students teach after school art classes for younger children, and creating
murals to promote a non-profit agency (Ballengee-Morris & Taylor).
Ulbricht’s (2005) book title “What is Community- based Art Education?”
asked a pertinent question. The purposes of community-based programs are numerous.
The aspects of this article that apply here asked how could art programs address the
need for getting students involved in real world situations and how could educators
and artists contribute to important social issues through their work. The author, J.
Ulbricht, made an interesting point that people often think all art education is teacher
initiated while much of it comes informally through the highly visual culture.
Technology and visual media teach the populace through imagery, and this can be a
form of community-based art education. Traditional community-based art programs
service a target group and hold classes in schools, parks, museums, or other non-profit
government facilities. No matter the form of outreach, the motivation of the art
educators is that the community members, through the experience of doing art, can
feel empowered. An example of locals using art to educate and improve their
community is seen in the murals that make a statement for social change. The
implication is that “in an artistic form, students could envision and design art projects
that have social impact” (Ulbricht, p. 10).
There were many specific readings describing artists using art in their
communities and the social political issues they represented. In a text called Art of
Engagement: Visual Politics in Northern California and Beyond (Selz, 2006), the
40
Chicano community experiences with art and social change were described. Local
artists were first inspired by and then became part of social struggles. An action
research report studied using murals and service learning to reconstruct a community
park. An essay described a public art program that occurred in Chicago between 1992
and 1995 and how it helped a divided neighborhood come together again. All of these
readings had artists doing art with the intent of bringing people together to create a
change in their communities.
Peter Selz (2006) wrote about the Chicano experience during 1960s when the
struggle of California farm workers and other civil rights issues were becoming
political. Concurrently, Mexican artists who had personal experiences with the
injustices that were occurring became inspired to design posters and murals to support
the desire for social change. The Royal Chicano Art Force, based in Sacramento,
designed the American Farm Workers flag. The flag is still being used today as an
icon for the movement. Murals soon became the means of social communication in the
barrio. During the first decade of the movement at least 1,500 murals were produced
in California, all calling for social and racial equality. Judy Baca, a muralist during
that time, stated “…the process of making art is the transformation of pain…the art
process takes pain to its furthest transformation” (Selz, p. 166). Her mural, The Great
Wall is a panorama of the social struggles that many ethnicities experienced in Los
Angeles. Malaquias Montoya, a child raised in the farms of the San Joaquin Valley,
explained his reason for doing art. “As a Chicano artist I feel that all my art should be
a reflection of my political beliefs, an art of protest. The struggle of all people cannot
41
be merely intellectually accepted. It must become part of our very being as artists,
otherwise we cannot give expression to it in our work” (in Selz, 2006, p. 176). In the
1960s he was a leader working for the civil rights of his people by making posters and
prints about relevance and power.
Karen Hutzel (2007), an artist that lived in Cincinnati Ohio, wrote about a
neighborhood that she moved into and how she used a mural project as a catalyst for
social change and community-based art education. Her action study centered on
reclaiming a playground that gangs had made unsafe for others to use. She used an
asset-based community art curriculum to encourage social change through action. The
goal was to increase the residents’ capacity to improve the quality of their own
neighborhood. This led her to learn about the community’s needs and to rally local
organizations’ input. Her research in service learning provided the foundation of her
project. The four components, preparation, action, reflection, and recognition came
from Duckenfield and Wright’s 2001 Pocket Guide to Service Learning (Hutzel). It
was important that she follow through, as her project had received initial apprehension
from the community. In the past, others had made promises to the community that
later were not fulfilled. In the conclusion of her article Hutzel made the following
statement about art,
The realities of many communities – shootings, drug dealing, assaults – can
make an art class seem frivolous to a person living with a daily fear of
violence. This study suggested that an art curriculum that incorporates these
42
realities by acting toward change can incite active engagement in art and
community development. (Hutzel, p. 313)
The last article was about a project that was part of a public art program in
Chicago . Manglano-Ovalle’s Culture in Action (Jacob, 1995) project developed over
a two year time span. He began with a concept. He wanted to “bridge the social and
cultural isolation of residents and create a space for dialog” (p. 76). The neighborhood
had become fearful as gangs dominated the streets. Being a predominantly Hispanic
community, he envisioned bringing back the old custom of the Sereno/Tertulia. In
traditional Latin cultures adults gather at night for the evening tertulia – to socialize
and talk. This is later followed by the sereno, the lamplighter, announcing the time and
providing news to the community (Jacob, 1995). Maintaining light in this poor
community was a low priority for the city so Jacob first focused on lighting. Soon he
realized that, even more important than chairs and lamps, was reclaiming the street.
Gangs provided the social structure that families and societies were no longer
providing, and gangs ran the streets. After much time collaborating with the
community, Tele-Vecindario was created. Tele-Vecindario was a street level video (SL-V) installation consisting of 14 monitors illuminated by strings of orange sodium
vapor lights. It provided the incentive and the space for the community to gather. The
community controlled the content of the videos. They created them to address
community issues. People attracted by the illumination came out into the streets and
had the dialog Manglano-Ovalle’s project intended. “Conversations and video
43
production continue…taking the power into their own hands, the S-L-V crew uses
video tools to create an ongoing tertulia” (Jacob, 1995, p. 87).
As a result of researching several educational philosophies in curriculum and
instruction and finding evidence that the arts play a critical and unique role in
developing complex thinking skills, it is prudent to say that the arts improve teaching
and learning and provide a broader and deeper way of conveying meaning. Art is a
unique and powerful way of thinking and communicating. Intensely personal art is a
means to finding and developing one’s own creativity. Educational practices that were
developed by John Dewey (1934), Donald Arnstine (1967), and Elliot Eisner (1998)
were seen in the curriculum of many followers from established and well known
educators to both famous and local artists. The research provided example after
example of the skills taught through art crossing over to other curricular endeavors.
Doing art ties aesthetic experiences to learning. It develops one’s higher order thinking
capacity to solve problems and provides a framework for creativity. There is a natural
connection between art and communicating. Many artists used art to raise awareness
of both social and political concerns. Many used their art to improve their
communities. The information acquired from these readings supported the skills and
authentic experiences necessary for the researcher to lead a community art project.
44
Chapter 3
THE PROJECT
This project was an Alternative Culminating Experience for a Master of Arts in
Education: Curriculum and Instruction with an Elective Emphasis on Arts in
Education. It followed Pathway I: Artist as Educator. The project included the steps
taken to increase the researcher’s expertise in the visual arts, dance, and theatre, as
well as the research and actions taken in order to plan and execute a service-learning
project in which students created art to support their school’s recycling program. The
research was conducted using a narrative inquiry approach.
“…we dream in narrative, daydream in narrative, remember, anticipate, hope,
despair, believe, doubt, plan, revise, criticize, construct, gossip, learn, and love by
narrative” (Hardy, 1977, p. 13). This quote suggests that our lives, our experiences, are
chronicled in narrative. Given that the central theme of this project was learning to do
art as an authentic experience, the field research, documentation, and analysis were
conducted with a narrative inquiry approach. In the book Narrative Inquiry:
Experience and Story in Qualitative Research, D. J. Clandinin and F. M. Connelly
(2000) stated that the best way to understand and represent a Deweyan experience was
through narrative. To them narrative was both simple and profound. It was a way of
studying experiences as a compilation of stories, set in particular contexts, with great
potential to evaluate and reconstruct lives. They made the connection that the narrative
approach represents the phenomenon as well as the method of inquiry. They outlined
three methodologies to guide the study of complex human realities and the
45
representation of those findings into an academic discourse. First, the relationship
between the researchers and the participants needed to be studied. Journaling their
experiences involved focusing on inward hopes, feelings, and reactions; outward
locations and contexts; and both backward and forward events and goals. For example,
this project involved the researcher, members of the Barrio Art community, and 15
junior high students. Second, the proper choice of data needed to be collected. The
researcher used autobiographical writing, photographs, journals, and student
interviews. Third, the research text must address a purpose, must define a voice, as
well as serve an audience. This project was a personal journey into the art world, thus,
it is written in the first person. These words from Clandinin and Connelly sum up the
process: “For narrative inquirers, it is crucial to be able to articulate a relationship
between one’s personal interest and sense of significance and larger concerns
expressed in the works and lives others” (p. 122).
Several forms of documentation occurred through out the project. They are
categorized into the three groups listed below. In addition, samples of these items are
referred to in subsequent chapters and placed into the Appendices

Documents: syllabus of each art course, drawings, paintings, the grant
proposal to paint the school recycling-bins, the daily bulletin explaining the
project, letter to the parents of participating students, photographs of
participating students planning and painting bins.
46

Dialogue/interviews: student conversations during the planning meetings
discussing ideas for painting bins, actual painting days, and student
reflections of project as a whole.

Observation: personal journal of experience, analysis of what was learned
about doing art, how researcher changed as an artist, what was learned from
watching students do art, what was learned about doing a school wide
project, impact the project had on the school as a whole.
Personal History
I have always liked to draw. My father was a musician, a photographer, and an
illustrator. Even though I did not grow up with him, I think his talents influenced me. I
also have numerous childhood memories of drawing and coloring with my mother by
my side. She proudly displayed my pictures on the walls. To this day, I treasure the
coloring books that I enjoyed up into young adulthood. My high school had a strong
arts program. Although I took theatre and music, it was the visual arts, mixed media,
calligraphy, and pottery that I liked the best. Often my instructors infused art projects
into the different curriculum. In fact, one of the reasons I liked science so much was
because of the illustrations I did during biology classes. Drawing became a hobby, in
particular, individually designed birthday cards. All my experiences with the visual
arts were positive. People praised my works. In contrast my experiences with music
were negative. I remember not making choir, two years in a row. I remember starting
flute, not practicing, and dropping out. Guitar class started well until I could not tune
my instrument and could not figure out how to read music. Even now I am terrified of
47
singing and usually mouth my way through happy birthday songs. But drawing has
always been good therapy. I thought I would take art classes in college, but the
transition to a science degree reduced my time to do that. Eventually a career in
teaching took over and doing art stopped all together.
Twelve years after college, at a time when my career was well underway, I
finally took a drawing class. I was happy to discover I still had some talent and
thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The course had been a birthday present, including
the childcare needed to free my time, but upon completion I stopped. The experience
made me think about my future. Inspired by childhood summers immersed in the
natural beauty and local artisans of Taos, New Mexico, I began to wonder if I could
return there as an artist myself. The wonder became a dream that never left, only
intensified. Then, three years ago took my life took a turn, and art was brought back
into my life. I bought a house that was owned by a local and quite successful sculptor.
Her life size bronze pieces are all over Northern California. The garage was her studio.
I took it as a sign that it could be mine one day. At the same time friends starting
inviting me to their art classes, I discovered pastel and collage. The series of collage
classes made the biggest impact. It was termed soul collage as it was very personal
and therapeutic in nature. The teacher provided the theme before the class, then, in her
home we met as group to discuss it. After that we were set free to find pictures that
evoked the theme and spoke to us. Often the first hour was amorphous, but eventually
something would click, and I would spend the last half hour quickly creating
something out of nothing. The final pieces were surprisingly personal, true to what I
48
was feeling, interesting to look at, and full of meaning. I was shocked. I had never
created a piece of art like this before. I was enthralled with the process.
A few months later I discovered the Master’s in Education Program at
Sacramento State University (CSUS) that emphasized the arts in education. My
journey was driving itself, and opportunities continued to present themselves. A
chance meeting with a teacher who was already in the CSUS program occurred while
the two of us waited for an airplane in Albuquerque, New Mexico. As she described
her experience, I immediately knew that years of wondering and searching for my next
professional and personal growth was unveiling itself. My vision was to develop my
self as an artist, as well as investigate how art can be used in the classroom as an
alternate way to process and communicate science content. I felt impassioned. I had
finally found a way to take art classes and make art a part of my career. I wanted the
art classes for my own benefit as well as my students.
For years I was concerned that the typical approach to teaching and learning
science was not working for all students. The scientific method is very controlled. The
curriculum promotes directed discovery, but more often than not, discovery with a
predetermined one correct answer. If students did not arrive at that one answer, it
seemed as if all the steps in between were lost. I was curious if art would allow
students the opportunity to express the content they did understand. Perhaps a more
personal product would be less intimidating and more motivating. After reading
philosophies on art education, I realized that art is much more complex than I
expected. The unique cognitive skills involved needed thoughtful instruction and time
49
to develop. In addition, the value of art instruction became more and more evident as I
discovered the educational philosophies of Dewey (1934), Eisner (1967), and Arnstine
(1998). My focus shifted from exclusively infusing art with science lessons to doing
art for its own benefit. I realized the value of experiencing the authentic experiences
described in the literature before trying to incorporate them into my teaching practices.
Eventually, I learned about service learning and how art can support a community
need. I realized I could help students experience art in this context and that through the
recycling program I could make it happen at my school site.
My journey into the academic art world began during the summer of 2008. I
took a course sponsored by the Crocker Art Museum. The format for each day was the
same. We started with observing, drawing, and describing a piece of public art. Two
of the art works were in downtown Sacramento. We were to visit them, sketch, and
describe what we saw before classes began. I was thrilled. It was summertime, and I
was free to draw. The pieces were beautiful, interesting, and easily accessible to all
observers. The other two pieces were on the Sacramento State University campus.
Each one was a celebration of the city’s dedication to art in public places. Our classes
began with a debriefing on the art we had observed and a presentation on the artist’s
life and works. Either a program teacher or the actual artist led the presentations. The
artists all had such fascinating experiences. At last, I was immersed in art. The
instructors taught basic art theory, such as the five elements of design, and then we
spent our days doing art projects that were inspired by works we were studying. I left
with a huge binder of lessons and support materials. Overall, I thought the course
50
contained high quality instruction, great presentations, and was very well organized.
However, I felt humble and a bit intimidated by the other participants. Each day artists
and art teachers quickly internalized the instructions and produced exceptional works
of art. Meanwhile I was never quite sure what to create and often thought my works
were inferior to those around me. Yet I realized I was learning a lot and kept trying.
Eventually, I liked the products, more so when I took them home and wasn’t
comparing them to others (see Appendix A).
Through the Crocker Art Program I learned about the Sacramento
Metropolitan Arts Commission and the Art in Public Places program. I met Dixie
Laws, the program coordinator, and attended one of her tours. One beautiful Saturday
morning we walked around downtown Sacramento learning about pieces of art, the
people who created them, and the people that helped fund their placements. The works
enhanced the aesthetics of walkways, elevators, and courtyards. Ironically, one of the
pieces on our tour was a sculpture done by the woman who previously owned my
house. I learned that Sacramento was in a cadre with other cities dedicated to public
art. A whole new world enlightened me. That fall when I returned to my school site, I
realized that Holmes Junior High has a several pieces of public art and that I wanted to
continue that tradition.
During the fall of 2008, while enrolled in the CSUS Curriculum and
Instruction master’s program, I became versed in art history and educational
philosophy. The information obtained from the literature became the foundation for
my project. I was attracted to the sensibilities of John Dewey (1934). Due to the
51
combination of being interested in nature and being trained as scientist, I was drawn to
his descriptions of the human experience. His analysis of how we perceive and
respond to our environment inspired me. It was an easy transition for me to see art as
an aesthetic experience that mimics what humans are designed to do. I was surprised
to learn this so late in my educational career. Why was this not more widely discussed
in teacher training and at school sites? Through research I learned that prominent
educational theorists were following his lead, and plenty of schools were
implementing art programs with great success.
Concurrently, I was exposed to many forms of art, mostly from Europe, but
also from Asia and Africa. An assignment called “Eyes Wide Open” involved drawing
and describing a collection of items from my immediate surroundings. I spent roughly
an hour on each entry (see Appendix B) .I liked slowing down from my daily work
schedule, noticing, appreciating, and drawing something that pleased me. Another
memorable set of lessons revolved around light and shadows. I have always been
attracted to sunlight, bright colors, and those same aspects in Impressionists’
paintings. Yet here I was intrigued with the concept of a more delicate and hidden
beauty that required thinking, patience, and introspection to appreciate its subtleties. I
was learning to see and experience new forms of art. The activity of spending an hour
in a darkened room experiencing sand painting, pastel drawings, and music created by
my classmates was pivotal. That evening made me realize and appreciate the quality
of instruction, the unique experiences, and the talents of the others in my cohort.
52
One of the most unexpected breakthroughs was internalizing the value of
music. Each class session in the cohort started with music and movement. Since I am
uncomfortable singing and not coordinated as a dancer, these activities required me to
face a fear and engage in a steep learning curve. These musical exercises caused an
immediate, positive, physical, and emotional transformation. In fact, all the music
curriculums that I was exposed to in this program had the same impact. I was
particularly moved by The Education Through Music curriculum from the Richards
Institute (n.d.). My first-hand endeavors with the activities convinced me why we want
students experiencing music in classrooms. They also taught me why I need to
continue developing my confidence in this area. Theatre was next.
In spring 2009, I took a Puppet Theatre class with Professor Richard Bay. My
comfort level with improvisational theatre is not much higher than my comfort level
with singing and playing instruments. Luckily, the teacher was excellent. For me, the
experience of the class began every time I entered the theatre building. All the items
that created the surroundings were captivating. I saw the ropes and props that lived
behind the stage and walked through the huge warehouse that housed backdrops and
artifacts from past performances. A huge, beat up, freight elevator led to a very
colorful costume making room, and eventually to the little space in the back called the
puppet room. Once again becoming a student was a valuable undertaking for me. I
was a total novice in puppetry with few acting skills, no sewing skills, feeling very
vulnerable and isolated from those around me who seemed so much more capable. I
was scared. The teacher’s expertise, enthusiasm, and gentle affect helped me feel
53
success was possible. He structured the lessons so that my confidence could build. The
improvisations were always done as small groups. They were short so there was no
time to worry about being perfect. All the activities were consistently and
incrementally challenging. Everyone got better. Most importantly, he provided enough
of time for us to work through the process of making art. After an initial lesson, he
worked on his puppets as we worked on ours. He answered questions and encouraged
us. Other than that, we all did our own work. I learned what I needed to learn as I went
from one step to the next. For the first time, I used a sewing machine, made puppets,
put on little plays, and went to see puppet theatre. Several of us from the class went to
see Richard Bay, his old and current students, and local artists perform a variety show
in downtown Sacramento. We immersed ourselves in the local art scene. The show
began in the parking lot, much like street theatre. Then we all paraded inside to see the
other creative acts. The potential of puppet theatre was more diversified than I
expected. Because of this class, I found that lessons available on the Internet fuse art
with science. In addition, I read studies stating that using puppets in science class
increases students’ ability to vocalize the content vocabulary and the concepts they are
learning. This was one of my original goals of pursuing this masters program.
I intend to incorporate the puppets I made. The gorilla hand puppet can be used
with my evolution unit and the set of owl and the pussy shadow puppets will go well
with my light unit. The Lizzy-the-Lizzard mouth puppet will be a fun introduction to
puppets, as my students often call me Ms. Frizzle after the Magic School Bus
character. Her lizard, Lizzy, goes on all their adventures. Also, because of this class I
54
attended my local high school orchestra performance of Peter and the Wolf. The
matinee entertained an audience of elementary students. This was the first time I had
seen puppeteers dressed in black, completely visible on stage, handling life-sized
puppets. The joy in the room and the melding of music and puppetry occurred in a
way I had never experienced. I was primed to continue my art instruction into the
summer (see Appendix C).
During summer 2009, I read Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain (Edwards,
1999), followed the exercises designed to teach drawing, read The Artist’s Way
(Cameron, 2002), and completed the exercises designed to develop creativity. Even
though the self-teaching format of these two books was similar, the books were
different in what they developed. The drawing book took an academic approach, as it
educated me about the brain and taught me very specific skills. Through understanding
how the brain processes and directs the act of drawing, I learned about how we draw.
Each exercise required roughly one hour of uninterrupted time. I started in the
summer, stopped when school/work returned, then resumed and finished during winter
break. The author led me to believe that my final portrait would be surprisingly better
than the first. Although it was better, it did not look enough like me. Nevertheless, I
realized my drawing journey was still in its beginning stages. More practice was
needed. Creating portraits became a personal goal, and I wanted these lessons to help
me. I’ve learned the basics; now I need time to develop them into skills (see Appendix
D).
55
Reading and following the exercises in The Artist’s Way (Cameron, 2002) was
a very different experience, less academic content and more personal reflection. I
related to some, but not all of what I read. The book sparked my thinking about what it
means to develop one’s creativity. The author shared examples of creative
development and the obstacles that blocked people. At first I was confused, because I
had no concept of my being blocked. Yet, it was a major theme through out the book.
Eventually I understood that even though I hadn’t experienced being blocked to the
degree the author had, I had sensed failure. Through the exercises I realized how art
has always been with me, but has been submerged. In addition, so much more is
possible for me if I really put time and thought into it. The author declared her belief
in a creator of all living things and how this belief impacts her views on creativity.
Thinking of myself as a creator as a direct result of coming from a creator was
profound. I can envision creating as an endeavor that all humans are designed to do.
This image inspired me to do the necessary journaling and introspection that helped
me identify blocks to my own creativity. I reflected on many personal questions, thus
learning more about myself and thinking about how I wanted to personalize my art.
Up until then, I felt that most of my art pieces were simply copies of what I see,
without my interpretation or artistic spin. Slowly, through all these experiences I am
realizing that making art is inherently personal, and I am making progress toward
seeing and manifesting that.
Also during the summer of 2009 I read Painting as A Language (Robertson &
McDaniel, 2000) and took two painting classes. The jump into painting was perhaps
56
premature. I hadn’t finished the drawing exercises yet. I put the drawings on hold,
enrolled in the painting classes and started reading about paint. Painting as a
Language was another book that resonated well with me. Some aspects overlapped
with the two previous books, especially in terms of being creative, finding one’s own
style, and reviewing the basics of drawing. This book taught me about color, mediums,
and compositions. The book complemented the painting class I was taking and
provided the text support I needed. Similar to my previous classes, I was again
surrounded by artists that were further along in their art skills. I learned about mixing
paint, which was much harder than I anticipated. Too many years of pick a color from
the thirty choices in my marker set had spoiled me. Mixing paint was time consuming.
As a result, the class was over before my painting was finished. I have three paintings
from that class. They scream “beginner,” but also show some improvement.
Next, I attended a four-day painting class at the Mendocino Art Center. The
grounds were filled with beautiful sculptures made of wood, clay, iron, and tiles. In
between the classrooms, gardens were in full bloom. Art was everywhere. I watched
people painting, drawing, welding, and making jewelry. At night, I could hear
performers rehearsing a play underneath my room. My class consisted of one teacher
and four students. Each of us had a five-foot long table to ourselves. I proudly
surrounded myself with my newly purchased art supplies. I hadn’t expected a
materials list for the course, nor the over $100 price for them all; however, I looked
like a real artist now. The other students were skilled painters. Each had well
established painting styles and had come to advance them selves. This time, though
57
again the least experienced person, I realized that no matter where one is in her
painting it is still an effort to learn something new. Each of us was taking a risk and
feeling vulnerable.
Finally, I felt okay about my own development. I decided on a goal and then
worked toward it. I wanted to paint on a canvas, a piece with both good color
combinations and good use of negative space. The first attempt was neither. The
second attempt was satisfactory. I placed it on my wall at home right next to my art
table. Because of these two summer painting classes, I have a color wheel, different
sizes and kinds of art paper and brushes, paints, mediums, an easel, and new
information on painting. I feel I have officially begun my goal to become a painter.
My fantasy has moved into reality. I see myself doing this for the rest of my life (see
Appendix E).
In the fall of 2009, through a course called Barrio Art, I experienced service
learning and community art. The readings for the course inspired me and helped me
structure and develop my role as an art advocator. Like the Royal Chicano Air Force, a
group of artists that used their talents to support the farm workers movement, I wanted
to use art to enhance my school community. Through researching other community art
projects, I discovered the steps to service learning that I later used to lead the art
project I did for my school site. Luckily, I was well into the course before I started the
project and was able to implement what I learned from the very beginning. Not only
was the research useful, but also what I learned about doing art when I was a
participant in the Barrio community. The course entailed 40 hours of service learning
58
in a poor, Hispanic neighborhood. I went to the Washington Community Center in
downtown Sacramento two nights a week for 10 weeks. Every Tuesday evening from
6-8pm I joined an Azteca dance class. Every Thursday evening during the same twohour time slot, I facilitated arts and crafts activities. After each evening I was required
to journal my thoughts about the experiences and reflect on the creative process that
developed. I also reflected on how everyone benefited from the common experience.
The dance class was rich in culture and community. The group included dancers
that were both young and old, male and female, experienced and newcomers. The
leader reminded us that the magic of the dance circle was more important than the
dancing itself. The CSUS students were not only invited to dance, but also to
experience Aztec culture. The dancers were proud of their circle, and it appeared they
enjoyed sharing it. Each night was a spiritual journey. Drummers created the music.
Incense and candles helped transform the large cold gym into a tight communal space.
We always began with the same opening ceremony and ended with the same closing
ceremony. A member stepped into the center of the circle and created a loud horn-like
sound from a large conch shell. Meanwhile all the dancers pointed toward and blessed
the four corners of the earth. All items and people that entered the circle needed to
follow certain traditions. Women were required to wear skirts. The advanced dancers
had shakers in their hands and rattles on their feet. For the next hour and a half dancers
took turns leading the group. Over the course of the semester, I was privy to
participate in a special dance to help a family mourning a death as well as a special
dance to celebrate a life. I experienced the importance of family, both the immediate
59
and the extended, in the Hispanic culture as well as the group’s commitment and
honoring of their collective creative process. At the end of the ten weeks, all of us
CSUS students agreed that we were deeply moved by the dances and the members that
welcomed us in. Several of us even helped feed and hydrate the dancers when they
participated in an all day event that occurred one weekend at a local Native American
university. We were eager to give something back.
The Washington Community Center was very much a family center. Adults
were there on kid night, and kids were there on adult night. The Thursday evening
craft classes were well attended. I was impressed to see this community’s commitment
to the arts. They came each night excited to do whatever we offered. Even when the
nights were bitter cold, people came to commune and experience the creative process.
We painted tiles, fabrics, and wood, made etchings, designed silk screens, and printed
t-shirts and posters. For the Day of the Dead, everyone made altars with sugar skulls
and painted sceneries. I was responsible for leading the evening we spent creating
picture frames with tissue paper and rhinestones collage. The decoupage technique
was so popular the next week we decorated ornaments with the same materials. Some
days we made cards with whatever art supplies we could find in the storage bins.
Worried that these might be less interesting, I felt pleasantly surprised when the
creative process took form and art continued to be produced. We even cleaned up a
courtyard, built raised a bed, and planted a row of roses. The creative momentum I felt
from the nights at the center transferred to my students and the art project that was
taking form back at my school site (see Appendix F).
60
The Art and Recycling Project
Painting the recycling bins at Holmes Junior High began in September 2009
with my search for funds. In order to apply for a grant through The Davis Arts
Foundation, I had to research all the materials necessary to paint 18 plastic trashcans.
The project became real as I measured bins, calculated surface areas, and went to the
hardware store to create my budget. Once I was granted the funds, I advertised
through the school bulletin for students interested in addressing a school need with art.
The recycling program at my school site needed a boost. The bins had no status. They
were invisible to students who treated them as yet another trashcan. Recyclable items
were not getting recycled. I wondered what could happen if the bins became works of
art. Like the posters and t-shirts that the Royal Chicano Air Force created for the farm
workers movement, could a group of kids use art to support a cause?
By November I had a two lunch groups, one for seventh and eighth grade
students and another for ninth grade students. They met in my room to discuss and
plan what they wanted to paint. Collectively, we were a group of 20. I gave all the
students small spiral notebooks for their drawings and reflections. I wrote letters to
their parents/guardians explaining the project and requesting permission for the
students to paint after school and to be photographed. Since our lunch was only 30
minutes, all painting had to happen after school. With Thanksgiving break, winter
break, and end of semester projects on everybody’s calendar, the group decided to
paint during January and February. Even then the students found it challenging to fit
another activity into their busy schedules. I published a monthly calendar listing times
61
my room would be open. We worked from 3:30 to 5:00 at least two days a week, but I
was available every day and some weekends. Often only one or two students could be
there on a particular day. The process turned out to be much more time consuming
than I had anticipated. First the bins had to be cleaned, primed, and left to dry. The
next time the students came, they painted their backgrounds. It took, on average, three
more sessions to add the details. Fortunately, as I am science teacher, so my classroom
had sinks, counter space, and flat tables to work on. Still, for weeks my room was
filled with paint cans, brushes, aprons, and large bins at all stages of painting process.
There were eighteen bins on the school’s campus that could have be painted, but I
could only take a portion of them out of commission at a time. This worked out fine,
as my room could only accommodate eight bins. When other students who had classes
in my room started to ask if they too could paint a bin, I had to tell them to wait until
these were done. Because they were just too busy to come after school, even my
original group of the twenty reduced to fifteen. At the end of February the eight bins
were painted and set outside. They looked fantastic. The students posed for a yearbook
photo as artists and allies for recycling. Collectively, we wrote a summary of the
project for the PTA newsletter.
Nevertheless, the project wasn’t over. I committed myself to invite others to
continue the work. This first group of painters was all female, even though several
boys were curious. Hopefully, they will paint the next eight bins. I set a spring goal, in
time for Earth day, so that we can all celebrate our combined efforts (see Appendix
G).
62
The intent of this chapter was to summarize two years of intense focus
developing myself as an artist and the beginning of sharing art with my students.
Looking at these current events, as well as my life of art experiences, I see how they
seamlessly blended into each other. As one experience ended, the next evolved and led
me into a new skill and confidence level. All along the way, research supported and
inspired the work done. I have experienced art in new ways and have deeper
understanding and appreciation of how the journey manifested itself.
63
Chapter 4
REFLECTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This culminating experience in arts and education was a personal journey
dedicated to developing my individual art skills and confidence and sharing the virtues
of art with students. Enriching the journey was reading and learning about educational
theories from philosophers like John Dewey (1934) and then experiencing first hand
what at first was challenging academic material, but later clearly the essence of what I
was doing. I spent many years searching for a master’s program that would meet my
career goals and feel right to me as a person. I know I made the right decision because
the last two years have been a series of one extraordinary, deeply enriching, and
personal experience after another. I committed to the program, then each opportunity
magically led to the next, and I became acutely aware of the possibilities around me.
I learned several lessons through this program. The most profound was the
coherence between the research and the experiences. Inspired by John Dewey (1934),
I really wanted to undergo an adventure in authentic art. Every art lesson was exactly
that. I was highly aware of relevant past experiences, I was emotionally vulnerable,
invested, and motivated to follow through to culmination. After each product was
completed, I felt a sense of completion and pride. Even though improvement was
slower than I expected, I saw my creative side emerge. The same progression existed
with the students working on the recycling bins project. They came to me with stories.
Many had participated in community art projects when they were in elementary
school. They were inspired, stayed committed, and followed through to the end.
64
Because the painting needed to happen after school and the students had other
commitments, it took many weeks to complete. It was not rushed. I was less concerned
with the deadlines of this project than maintaining the integrity of the creative process.
The students were working at the pace that was allowing them to paint when they were
ready to paint. I made my room available multiple days a week and watched as they
added layer upon layer, never complaining about drying time and having to come back
another day to do a bit more. Positive feedback was immediate. Once the bins were on
campus, they were noticed. Students, teachers, and parents commented on how great
they looked. The artists were happy to have their works on display doing what they
were intended to do.
I looked at the bins through the eyes of Elliot Eisner (1998). From him, I
learned that doing art and the act of creating are complex undertakings. Focusing and
selecting the right images is a paradox in sharing something particular and revealing
something universal yet they evolve together into a final product. The bins
transformed from perception to creation. My daily routine as a science teacher has
most of my lessons very planned. The outcomes of science experiments at the junior
high level are predictable. The construct of controls and setting a procedure to confirm
what is already expected is very different from the artist’s evolving painting. Even
with planning and preliminary sketching, most of the students left their notes behind
and just painted. The girl who liked deserts painted an underwater scene. The girl who
thought she was going to paint an ocean scene painted a desert. One girl is still
creating. She has a vision of her audience and how she wants to get their attention. She
65
comes sporadically, paints, gets frustrated, leaves, and returns another day. Still each
bin conveyed the greater meaning of supporting recycling while concurrently being an
individual representation that the artists creation.
This project confirmed one of Arnstine’s (1967) beliefs that projects thrive
when both the educator and students see their relevancy and have a voice in the
planning stages. Through a service learning format, the students invested themselves
and their time helping out the school. They dedicated several lunch-time planning
meetings and between ten and twelve after school hours to paint their bins. A few used
the hours to fulfill community service hours, but all behaved as they were disposed
and motivated to do the work to complete the task. We discussed the purpose of the
project. Everyone involved had control in deciding what to paint and when to paint.
They liked seeing their works of art so visible on campus. They knew their efforts
were valued and appreciated by the compliments and gratitude they received.
Some of the lessons I learned were more procedural in nature. Art is messy and
time consuming. Luckily, I have space for works-in-progress. My classroom has sinks,
counter space, and large tables. They are still filled with paint cans, brushes, rags, drop
clothes, and bins in every stage of completion. I had to post January, February, and
March painting times to complete seven of the potential 18 recycling bins. It turned
out best to paint them in shifts, since they were out of commission when they were in
my room being worked on. My room also has small blotches of paint on chairs, on the
floor, and in the sinks. I have paint specks on my clothes.
66
I am proud of the progress I have made. The reality of learning to do art is
different from the fantasy of being an artist. My confidence level fluctuated. I learned
a lot about myself both through the self-directed lessons and the teacher directed
courses.
At home, working on exercises from books, I learned how much time art
needed. As long as I was dedicated, I improved. I titled this project “Learning to do art
with a capital A” because I wanted to shift from being someone who could do art to
someone who did do art. I wanted to see myself grow and change. I did that. The
transformation was especially noticeable when I was in courses with an instructor and
other artists. Each class began with me excited to be there, but feeling inferior. It
seemed like everyone else was one step ahead of me. Even though I felt this way deep
inside, I did not let it stop me from trying my best. I knew I was making progress. I
was learning that becoming an artist was going to take the rest of my life. This
program was the just the beginning. Even artists many years into their trade had to
work hard to improve and evolve to their next stage. This realization was most evident
during my week at the Mendocino Art Center.
The creative process is something that can be learned. Reading The Artist’s
Way (Cameron, 2002) changed my perception of myself and what I am capable of
creating. I have a history of art inside me to reflect upon. The journaling exercises in
that book provided me the necessary introspection to see who I am as an individual
and how that self-knowledge was what I needed to trust my art would be personal. It
wouldn’t just be copying what I see. It helped me see that everything I learned from
67
Dewey (1934), Arnstine (1967), and Eisner (1998) can apply to me as well as my
students. The text Painting as a Language (Robertson & McDaniel, 2000), which
began as a tool to learning the basics of paint and color theory, was also invaluable in
teaching me how to how to create something personal. As I have only begun to use
this text, I look forward to returning to it and doing the exercises within.
I was so confident and sure of my self when I entered this program, yet I was
very nervous that I committed to a painting project with the students at my school site.
I was still learning myself. How could I lead others so soon? It was a huge risk. I
worried a lot. But when my grant proposal was accepted, I had to move forward. I
applied everything that I was learning: educational theories, art techniques, and the
elements of service learning. At the same time, I had classes to attend, classes to teach,
and a peer-helping program to oversee. Luckily, the student art project was small and
manageable. Even though there were potentially eighteen bins to paint, only seven
were done in the first round. I set different deadlines for myself. I wanted the first
round to be incorporated into this project. Then set Earth day as this year’s school
deadline. We would officially celebrate our contributions to a greener school at that
time. This project was more than a piece of my graduate studies. It was a servicelearning project to benefit the artists and my school. It was the beginning of my art
advocacy for many years to come.
For others who are planning similar experiences I recommend a few things.
Read about other projects. So many people want to share their art experience with
others. They inspired and educated me. Trust the process. Once I committed to this
68
journey, opportunities presented themselves. Take classes that will challenge you.
Experience for yourself what you want your students to experience. Being a student
again will give you a deeper insight to the learning process and more empathy for your
students who are asked to take risks every day. I believe it is important for educators
to remember what it is like to learn something completely new, to work through the
vulnerable stage, and to undergo the emotional rewards of completion.
In conclusion there is an abundance of research and advocacy for the arts but
the message is still en route, more people need to experience it, and to sense its value.
The combination of research, experience, and reflection changed my perceptions of
art. Art needs to be in public education. Schools need teachers to teach students music,
dance, singing, and the visual arts. Art develops academic and creative processes. As a
result of the last two years, I increased my own artistic and creative capabilities and
confidence to promote and encourage these aspects of growth in others. In these times
of budget cuts, I’m a science teacher who is advocating for art classes.
69
APPENDIX A
California Consultancy for Arts Education 2008 Summer Institute:
Certification of Completion, Sample Lesson Plan, and Sample Art Works
70
CALIFORNIA CONSULTANCY FOR ARTS EDUCATION
2008 SUMMER INSTITUTE
Certification of Completion, Sample Lesson Plan, and Sample Art Works
California Consultancy for Arts Education, Inc.
71
Lesson #1: Introductory Lesson – The Elements and Principles of Art
Focus Art Works: CCAE Prints
Artwork and Artists:
 Boston Cremes, 1962, Wayne Theibaud
 The Creation, 1991, Harry Fonseca
 Human in Nature #11,1990, Fritz Scholder
 Sleep, 1937, Salvador Dali
 The Creation of Adam, 1508, Michelangelo Buonarroti
 Fruit and Insects, 1711, Racel Ruysch
 Chihuahuan Heat, 1991, Dennis Blagg
Grade Level: 7
Objectives/Outcomes:
1. Learn to identify and define six elements of art.
2. Learn to identify and define four principles of design.
3. Apply skills of recognizing and defining the elements of art and principles of
design to creating a paper t-shirt.
Materials and Resources:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
CCAE prints (listed above)
T-shirt template (for rough draft)
Brown Kraft paper (for final product)
Various mixed media: construction paper, magazines, scissors, glue
Drawing pencils, felt-tip markers, sharpies
Procedures:
1. Introduce concept that science and art overlap in content and skill
development: observing patterns in nature, working with natural materials,
balancing forces in designing structures, and critical thinking.
2. Have students write out definitions for the vocabulary that teach the elements
of art and principles of design (science journal)
3. Small groups look for examples in CCAE prints then share with large group.
4. Explain t-shirt assignment: design a t-shirt about something in your life using
all six elements of art and at least one principle of design.
5. Give class time for students to brainstorm and complete rough draft.
6. Distribute brown kraft paper and assign final product as a homework
assignment (due one week later at end of unit)
72
7. Have art supplies available during lunch and after school and invite students to
work in the classroom at those times.
8. On due date, have students share t-shirts in small groups and challenge others
to identify the elements of art and principle of design that were included.
9. Students do a “quick write” on the back of their t-shirts reflecting on what they
learned in this introductory unit about art.
Vocabulary: the six elements of art and four principles of design (see attached sheet)
Criteria for Assessment of Student Learning: did participants
1. Include six elements of art and at least one principle of design in their t-shirt?
2. Use the appropriate artistic vocabulary to express what they learned in verbal
and written form?
California Visual Arts Standard(s) Addressed
1. Stand 1: Artistic Perception: Analyze and describe how the elements of art and
principles of design contribute to the expressive qualities of their own works of
art.
2. Strand 2: Creative Expression – create a series of art that expresses a personal
statement demonstrating skill in applying the elements of art and principles of
design.
73
74
APPENDIX B
Eyes Wide Open Assignment/CSUS Fall 2009
75
EYES WIDE OPEN ASSIGNMENT / CSUS FALL 2009
76
APPENDIX C
Puppet Theatre / CSUS Fall 2009
77
PUPPET THEATRE / CSUS FALL 2009
78
APPENDIX D
Sample Drawings from
Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain
79
SAMPLE DRAWINGS FROM
DRAWING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BRAIN
80
APPENDIX E
Learning how to Paint / Materials, Syllabus, Samples
81
LEARNING HOW TO PAINT / MATERIALS, SYLLABUS, SAMPLES
82
83
APPENDIX F
Barrio Art / CSUS Fall 2009
84
BARRIO ART / CSUS FALL 2009
Washington Neighborhood Center / December 2009
Danza Azteca Quetzalcoatl:
Honoring of Our Youth Warriors
DQ University/ October 3, 2009
85
APPENDIX G
Recycling Bin Project /Fall 2009-Winter 2010
86
RECYCLING BIN PROJECT /FALL 2009-WINTER 2010
The Davis School Arts Foundation
Hershberger Grants 2009-2010
Visual arts, Dance, Drama Music & Artists-in-residence for grades K-12
The Hershberger Grant program provides funding for experiential visual and performing
arts projects that afford students in the Davis public schools ‘art for art’s sake’ or creative
curriculum enhancement opportunities. Certificated DJUSD teachers from all disciplines in
grades K-12 are encouraged to apply. Hershberger Grants are not to fund permanent
equipment, transportation or other expenses accessible through district monies.
Applications are divided into Visual or Performance arts categories. The annual budget is
evenly split between the two categories. The DSAF assigns committees for each category to
read, evaluate and make recommendations to its board of directors. The DSAF then notifies
the Office of Curriculum and Instructional Services, who then notifies applicants of their
award status.
Awards for amounts up to $200.00 per single classroom and $400.00 for combined
classroom projects will be considered. The DSAF may fund projects in part or in full. If
project costs exceed the maximum Hershberger Grant award, additional funding will have to
be sought elsewhere. There is no limit to the number of proposals a teacher may submit each
year.
For information about the Hershberger Grants and an application, contact the DSAF at:
dsaf@dcn.ca.us
Application guidelines
• Applications must be typed on 8½ x 11inch paper and four copies submitted to the
Office of Curriculum & Instructional Services at 526 ‘B’ Street Davis, CA. 95616 by
Thursday, October, 1, 2009.
• Projects must be completed and receipts submitted to the Office of Curriculum &
Instructional Services by Friday, May 21, 2010. *Funds may be used only for the
project described in the application.
• All award recipients must submit a brief, typed (½ page in length) summary describing
the project to the Office of Curriculum & Instructional Services by Friday, June 18,
2010.
• Projects must be capable of completion within the time-line constraints noted above.
Failure to meet any of the deadlines listed will render the award recipient ineligible for
reimbursement and approval of grants for the following year.
87
I. Grant Applicant information
1. Teacher name(s):
Caroline LaFlamme
2. Grade level(s): Junior High / grades 7-9
3. Affiliated school: Holmes Junior High
4. Project title: Art Meets Recycling
5. Principal's signature:
II. Project Description
1. Briefly describe project (including if project involves exposure to artists and other professionals):
“it is the degree of completeness of living in the experience of making and of
perceiving that makes the difference between what is fine or esthetic in art and
what is not.” (Dewey, Art as Experience, p.27)
In following an instinct that art could help students process and
express what they were learning in science, I discovered John
Dewey and his philosophy on aesthetic experiences. Dewey
believed that human beings need authentic experiences to grow and
thrive in their surroundings. Dewey defined authentic experiences
for all living things as well as related them specifically to works of
art. I am currently in the second year of my curriculum and
instruction master’s program at Sacramento State University
looking for funding to create a project that will provide an aesthetic
experience in art for the students at Holmes Junior High. Over the
summer I read several art books and took two painting classes. Last
year Holmes Recycling Club fused with the science department in
need of a boost of enthusiasm and buy in. Hence the idea of
painting the recycling bins took hold. This tied in well with my
recent awareness of the Metropolitan Arts Council and their support
for Art in Public Places. The challenge to fuse art, science, and
advocating for arts in public schools all came together in this
project. The public display of the student’s painted bins all over
campus hopefully will demonstrate how art has multiple purposes.
The bins can make the campus more attractive, support the
recycling club, and provide an aesthetic experience for the students
who painted them. I am also hoping that this art project will
celebrate students working together for their school community.
88
2. How many students will be directly involved in this project:
Ideally as many students as are interested will participate. I will inform
students of the project during our school club fair and through the daily
bulletin. There are 18 recycling bins to potentially paint. Planning can
occur during lunch so it’s open to all on campus. Actual painting will
probably happen after school and/or Saturdays which may impact
involvement.
3. How many students will indirectly benefit from this project (as audience or
beneficiary of artwork etc.):
There are 700-800 on campus.
4. Identification of the program's alignment with California state content standards:
Visual and Performing Arts Content Standards for California Public
Schools
CREATIVE EXPRESSION
Creating, Performing, and Participating in the Visual Arts
Students apply artistic processes and skills, using a variety of media to
communicate
meaning and intent in original works of art.
Skills, Processes, Materials, and Tools
2.1 Demonstrate an increased knowledge of technical skills in using more
complex two- dimensional art media and processes (e.g., printing press, silk
screening, computer graphics software).
2.2 Design and create maquettes for three-dimensional sculptures.
Communication and Expression Through Original Works of Art
2.3 Create an original work of art, using film, photography, computer graphics,
or video.
2.4 Design and create an expressive figurative sculpture.
2.5 Select a medium to use to communicate a theme in a series of works of art.
2.6 Design and create both additive and subtractive sculptures.
2.7 Design a work of public art appropriate to and reflecting a location.
89
CONNECTIONS, RELATIONSHIPS, APPLICATIONS
Connecting and Applying What Is Learned in the Visual Arts
to Other Art Forms and Subject Areas and to Careers
Students apply what they learn in the visual arts across subject areas. They
develop competencies and creative skills in problem solving, communication,
and management of time and resources that contribute to lifelong learning and
career skills. They also learn about careers in and related to the visual arts.
Connections and Applications
5.1 Select a favorite artist and some of his or her works of art and create a music
video that expresses personal ideas and views about the artist.
5.2 Create a painting, satirical drawing, or editorial cartoon that expresses
personal opinions about current social or political issues.
III. Budget and logistics
1. Specify total dollar amount requested and itemization of program costs including fees, stipends and
materials:
Dimension Calculations for 18 bins
I bin: Height = 27inches / Radius = 11 inches / Surface Area = 18 square feet
18 bins = 324 square feet / 1 gallon paint covers between 350-400 sq.ft.
Primer $42.00/ one gallon + $12.50/ 30 oz =$52.50
ACE Nitrile gloves: 2 boxes 50ct (25pairs)
= $18.00
Regular Exterior Latex Paint: 9 cans (32oz) = $81.00
ACE Paint mixer: $4.29
90
Recycled shop rags/Large size: $13.00
Blue Tape: 3 rolls @ $6.00 ea = $18.00
Brushes: 5 sets @ $8.00each = $40.00
Large dish soap: $4.00
Paper towels: $8.00
Total for art supplies: approx. $240.00 (+tax $22.00)
Food and drinks for 2 Saturday workdays/16 kids
4 Large pizzas: $60
16 Subway sandwiches: $40
2 Cases of 24ct waters: $15
2 “bags” of Fresh fruit: $20
Total for food & water: approx. $135 (+tax $12.00)
Arts in Public Places Field Trip
Free Public Art Tours Self guided and guided walking and bus tours are
available for free to groups of five or more
(sponsored by Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission / Contact person,
Dixie Law)
91
1 day for a Substitute: $100
Actual tour: free
Transportation: volunteer drivers parking stipend: $15
Grand total: approx. $524.00
2. Description of any fundraising component of the program and identify the art-related activity that the
proceeds shall support:
All the items listed above will be used to prep and paint Holmes’ recycling bins.
Other funding sources that I can contact include our PTA and local stores like
the Davis Food Co-op, and ACE hardware. Since the students are volunteering
their time and efforts to design and paint, as of yet I am not planning to them
fundraise.
92
WANT TO PAINT A MINI MURAL?
GET INVOLVED IN PAINTING HOLMES’
18 RECYCLING BINS
THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO
SHOW YOUR CREATIVE SIDE
SUPPORT THE RECYCLING CLUB
PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNITY ART PROJECT
DO SOMETHING GOOD
COME TO ROOM C28 TO FIND OUT MORE
LUNCH NOVEMBER 10, 2009
(ALL GRADES WELCOME)
MEETING HAPPENING BOTH LUNCHES
QUESTIONS?
DROP BY MS. LAFLAMME’S ROOM
93
Recycling Project
Community Art Project
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Sponsor:
Holmes Junior High
1220 Drexel Drive
Davis. Ca 95616
(530) 757- 5445
Caroline Laflamme
Science Teacher
claflamme@djusd.k12.ca.us
Participation registration form & parent/guardian authorization
for the painting of the Holmes junior high recycling bins
Winter 2010
Student Name:
Parent/Guardian Name:
Mailing address:
Emergency Information:
In case of emergency’ please contact:
___________________________________________
Name
___________________________________________
Name
__________________________
Phone
__________________________
Phone
Health concerns:
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
Family physician: ___________________________________ Phone: ________________________
Medical/Accident Insurance Company: ___________________________________________________
Policy/group number:
___________________________________________________
Specific authorization in terms of the documentation for Ms. LaFlamme’s thesis
1.
2.
I / We authorize our child being interviewed about this project understanding that all comments will be documented
anonymously.
Yes _________
No ___________
I / We authorize photos to be taken of our child’s participation understanding they may be included in the final thesis
document.
Yes __________
No ___________
Davis joint unified school district authorization
I, as parent/guardian, have read the description of this project and the pertinent dates and locations. I understand that permitting
my child to participate in this after school program, I have waived all claims against the District (its employees) or the state of
California for injury, accident, illness, or death occurring during or by reason of the activity.
My signature below indicates that the above-name student has my permission to participate as outlined in the documents
provided.
_____________________________________________________
parent or guardian signature
Date
_____________________________
94
95
96
97
REFERENCES
Amorino, J. (2008, November). An occurrence at Glen Rock: Classroom educators
learn more about teaching and learning from the arts. Phi Delta Kappan, 90(3),
190-195. Retrieved November 29, 2008, from http://www.aosa.org/
American Orff-Schulwerk Association. (n.d.). Music and movement education.
Retrieved November 29, 2008, from http://www.aosa.org/
Arnstine, D. (1967). Philosophy of education: Learning and schooling. New York:
Harper & Row.
Ballengee-Morris, C., & Taylor, P. G. (2004). Service learning: Language of “we.” Art
Education, 57(5), 6-12.
Boyer, E. (1994). Creating the new American college. The Chronicle of Higher
Education, A48.
Cameron, J. (2002). The artist’s way: A spiritual path to higher creativity. New York:
Penguin Putnam Inc.
Clandinin, D. J., & Connelly, F. M. (2000). Narrative inquiry: Experience and story in
qualitative research. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Dewey, J. (1934). Art as experience. New York: Time Berkeley Publishing Group.
Edwards, B. (1999). The new drawing on the right side of the brain. New York:
Penguin Putnam Inc.
Eisner, E. (1998). The kind of schools we need: Personal essays. Portsmouth, NH:
Heineman.
98
Freiere, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed. New York: The Continuum Publishing
Company.
Gardner, H., & Hatch, T. (1989). Multiple intelligences go to school: Educational
implications of the theory of multiple intelligences. Educational Researcher,
18(8), 4-9.
Gardner, H. (2003, April). Multiple intelligences twenty years later. Paper presented at
the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association,
Chicago. Retrieved November 27, 2008, from http://www.pzweb.harvard.edu
/PIs/HG_MI_after_20_years.pdf
Hardy, B. (1977). Towards a poetics of fiction: An approach through narrative. In M. Meek,
A. Warlow, & G. Barton (Eds.), The cool web: The pattern of children’s reading
(pp. 12-33). London: Bodley Head.
Hutzel, K. (2007). Reconstructing a community, reclaiming a playground: A
participatory action research study. Studies in Art Education, 48(3), 299-315.
International Theatre of the Oppressed Organization. (n.d.). Retrieved November 29,
2008, from http://theatreoftheoppressed.org/en/index.php?nodeID=78
Jacob, M. J. (1995). Culture in Action: A public art program of sculpture Chicago.
Seattle: Bay Press.
Kliebard, H. (1982, January). Education at the turn of the century: A crucible for
curriculum change. Educational Researcher, 11(1), 16-24.
99
Legal Information Institute. (n.d.). U.S. Code. Title 42, Chapter 129, Subchapter I,
Division A, 12511. Definitions. Retrieved March 10, 2010 from
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/uscode42/usc_sec_42_00012511----000.html
Majozo, E. C. (1995). To search for the good and make it matter. In S. Lacy (Ed.),
Mapping the terrain: New genre public art (pp. 88-93). Seattle: Bay Press.
Marshall, J. (2005). Connecting art, learning, and creativity: A case for curriculum
integration. Studies in Art Education, 469(3), 227-241.
Nathan, L. (2008, November). Why the arts make sense in education. Phi Delta
Kappan, 177-181.
Project Zero. (n.d.). Retrieved November 29, 2008, from
http://www.pz.harvard.edu/index.cfm
Richards Institute of Education and Research. (n.d.). Retrieved November 29, 2008,
from http://richardsinstitute.org
Robertson, J., & McDaniel, C. (2000). Painting as a language; Material, technique,
form, content. Clifton Park, NY: Thompson Learning, Inc.
Selz, P. (2006). Art of engagement, visual politics in California and beyond. Berkeley:
University of California Press.
Smith, M. (2008). Howard Gardner and multiple intelligences. The encyclopedia of
informal education. Retrieved November 27, 2008, from
http://www.infed.org/thinkers/gardner.htm
Tanizaki, J. (1977). In praise of shadows. London: Jonathan Cape.
100
Taylor, P. G. (2002). Service-learning as postmodern art and pedagogy. Studies in Art
Education: A study of issues and research, 43(2), 124-140.
Ulbricht, J. (2005). What is community-based art education? Art Education, 58(2), 612.