| What goals are likely to promote inquiry in art as a | | | | In daily life, we ''look at'' much more than we truly ''see,'' |
| child? Art makes sense to children when they | | | | "feel," and "experience." If we are sensitive to our |
| experience it as a basic form of expression and as a | | | | aesthetic responses we realize that we are "moved" |
| response to life. The two modes of | | | | by something because our senses are fully activated. |
| experience-expression and response-are | | | | At such moments of realization, we experience a kind |
| interdependent. Both are essential in the goals for | | | | of insight so uncommon and so exact that we are in |
| personal fulfillment, for studies of the artistic heritage | | | | awe of our own powers of perception. |
| and for studies of the social aspects of art. | | | | Art deals with human feelings, beliefs, and conduct. |
| In order to find personal fulfillment through art, children | | | | Studies in art-like those in the humanities-are loaded |
| need to learn how their lives can be enriched by their | | | | with implications about the ideal life and the values |
| own efforts to create art and respond to visual forms. | | | | people hold. If we treat art as if it were only a matter |
| Children enjoy manipulating art materials and even | | | | of learning facts and mastering techniques, we deny its |
| without guidance they may produce works that have | | | | value-laden character. In the public schools of this |
| expressive meaning. The activity and chance | | | | country, subjects that center on human values are |
| successes are poor measures of learning. If, as the | | | | taught in a comparative manner. As teachers, we |
| saying goes, "one picture is worth a thousand words," | | | | should clearly emphasize that art can also be |
| one truly creative experience in art is worth a | | | | understood and experienced in different ways |
| thousand aimless experiments with art media. We | | | | Learn to generate ideas for expression through art. |
| may experience pride and inner strength that come | | | | Art does involve a struggle to find ideas and that |
| from shaping forms that express something about | | | | varied sources in their experience can be tapped for |
| ourselves, genuine self-expression is not easy. | | | | inspiration. Children can learn to generate ideas by |
| Art has the potential for making feelings and ideas | | | | careful observation of their natural and constructed |
| vivid; but to function expressively, an art form must be | | | | environment. Subjects are abundant-people, places, |
| created so that it captures the precise feeling and | | | | inanimate objects, plants, animals, weather, the |
| imagery of our experience. Only then can art give | | | | seasons, and special events. Imagination is the ability to |
| substance to feelings that might otherwise remain | | | | form images in the mind, especially of things, that are |
| undefinded, unclear, and unexplored. Few children are | | | | not ''real'' in ordinary life. Fantastic, futuristic, weird, |
| such natural artists that they can easily express | | | | mysterious, and dreamlike events can be a source of |
| themselves without a supportive environment. In order | | | | inspiration for art. Contemplating themes can serve as |
| to achieve personal fulfillment through creating art, | | | | a source of motivation for art. Children can learn to |
| children need sensitive adult guidance in mastering the | | | | express their personal feelings about such concepts |
| following pivotal moves in the artistic process: the | | | | as love, peace, and beauty as well as hate, war, and |
| creation of ideas for personal expression, the | | | | ugliness.Inventing the necessity. Ideas can come from |
| discovery of visual qualities to express ideas and | | | | problems and needs to everyday life, such as wanting |
| feelings, and the use of media to convey an | | | | to make a present for someone special. |
| expressive intent. | | | | |