ART EDUCATION AT DIVERSITY

...sharing our love of creativity with others...

just some of the young artists at Art Camp 2001

MORE SNAPSHOTS FROM ART CAMP 2001

There is a unique pleasure in being able to share our love of the visual world with someone else. The energy it takes to organize and present a structured plan of learning for students is more than matched by the feedback of positive energy we receive as teachers. Being able to connect directly to the imagination of another human being is a very powerful thing. As art teachers, it's easy to become addicted to that feeling.

Diversity is currently involved with two local art education programs for young people.

Paula Scheuneman presents an art camp for young people every summer at Diversity. Please call Diversity (337) 392-8540 for more information.

Eva Williams, in addition to her responsibilities teaching art at Northwestern State University/Leesville is also presenting an art class on the third Saturday of every month at the Leesville Neighborhood Center. We're all very excited about this project. (Beginning in June 2001, this arts program will be held on every Saturday of the month) The Arts Council of Central Louisiana along with support from VISTA, Leroy Stokes, Phillip Gunn and Bridget Huie (our local VISTA coordinator) has made this project possible. We thank them all for their support. Please call the Leesville Neighborhood Center (337) 238-3271 for more information.

Throughout this process, Eva has been documenting some of her thoughts on the relationship between education and the arts.

"Art Education: On the Endangered List?"

Art programs are often, generally speaking, the first to be cut from school budgets. Disciplines that engage the imagination and creative expression can be seen as luxuries that time and money budgets cannot support.

In teaching Art Education to future teachers, I stress the importance of being an imaginative and creative teacher. One who can find ways to incorporate art into the alleged "more structured" disciplines.

What is needed is a shift in perceptions of what it takes to offer students art in the classroom.

"We're on a tight schedule" "We don't have the extra time for an Art Period" The worst I've heard is "My "Fast Finishers" are able to use the art materials and drawing tools."

Statements like this one made by an educator makes me want to cry for the children who are not "fast finishers" and will never be "fast finishers." If only that teacher could realize how much exploring art and materials would improve performance in so many other areas.

What I most enjoy about teaching art education is that I have an opportunity to address my concerns to approximately 50-60 future teachers each year. CHIPPING AWAY AT BARRIERS TO CREATIVE TEACHING.

I will say that the education students I've encountered have been creative and wonderfully motivated to learning about different media and how to use them. I see there is hope when they themselves become excited at what they've created. Hopefully that feeling will be passed on to their students.

Stay tuned ...................... I'll have more to say.

Eva M. Williams

"Art Education"

I've recently completed teaching a session of Art Education to a group of very talented and creative future teachers. I am confident that this group will bring to their students the excitement of exploring the world of art. It is rewarding to learn from my students that they have gained the confidence in their ability to present art projects to their students. I have learned a lot from this group. They have made the term a very enjoyable one.

The second Saturday of each month art is being explored at the Leesville Neighborhood Center from 1p.m. to 3p.m.

We've met a great group of kids. Last month we explored color mixes. The kids mixed the primary colors RED < BLUE < YELLOW to create secondary colors GREEN < ORANGE < VIOLET on a color wheel. After that was completed it was on to BLOTTOS. WE dropped 2 primary colors into a sheet of paper, folded the sheet, rubbed and pressed the paint to create a design of secondary colors when the primaries combined. Interesting forms.

In March we will meet again on the 10th.

Eva M. Williams

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