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Between a tractor
and the internet is located... Kevan Nitzberg.

Visual literacy,
multi-media,
Jason Ohler,
De Chirico and Kippenberger.

Insite becomes insight to journey again between chance and order.

Between a New York cab and a London double decker: a line of flight.

From Hudson River to Brooklyn, Charles Edwin Church to Andy Goldsworthy, Tolkien's Ents to Vincent van Gogh: it must be trees.

In an animated article insite discusses creativity and envisioning new solutions, in order to change existing strategies that have driven the world to war.

Visions in stone - the transcendent granite sculpture of Jesús Bautista Moroles

Humour in art - from Miro to Ken Chu via Saul Steinberg on a journey to Keith Haring and Norman Rockwell.

Kevan Nitzberg in a deep navel gaze.

What are the art education paradigms in a new millennium?

Exploring contemporary art: poetry and meaning in a time of terror and technology.

A Sunday afternoon stroll along cyber space corridors takes a circuitous path to consciousness.

No longer is the art world an exclusive domain for elites...the internet explosion means much is available online.

At a time of tragedy, a look at humour in art.

keeping the peace Can art, on a worldwide scale, find one purpose as a keeper of peace for humanity?

art as memorial The Field of Empty Chairs, The Wall, Peace Park Hiroshima: all stand as a testimony to tragedy.

fantasy and sci fi art comes of age

the reconfiguration of art education
Report from the National Art Education Association Conference in New York City.

death and the web

beauty in art
 

insite : : kevan nitzberg

 

congruent perspectives radiating from multiple centers: 2002 naea convention


“Migrations of Crossing”, Edouard Duval Carrie

The eye as an extension of the brain, transatlantic crossings of multiple deities, warring gang members collaborating on murals decorating concrete floodways, virtual interactive art education and creation, revisiting ceramics through ancient cultural forms, arts and artists serving as community resources, techno-literacy in the arts, fighting the straight jacket of assessment through testing, knowledge and skill versus achievement norms, the sci / art connection…

These were but a few of the directions explored at this year’s National Art Education Association Convention, (at Miami Beach from March 22nd through the 26th). Held at the Fontainebleau II Hotel right along side the Atlantic coastline, this year’s NAEA Convention provided an amazing array of viewpoints and motifs for contemplation and exploration. Against the backdrop of white sandy beaches, the frenetic pace of the nightlife in South Beach, the almost lazy, hypnotic sound of the surf and the cries of assorted sea birds, the whole tone of the convention seemed to move in concert with the ebb and flow of the energy of the landscape. The panorama of sight and sound provided stimulus for the 2500 or so attendees at this year’s conference, as they went from one venue to another during the 5 days of the event. Offered as something of a synthesized version of those experiences, are the following reflections on some of the workshops I attended.

Dennis Dake, Professor at Iowa State University, offered a new global approach to learner-centered art education that takes promotes a ‘balance in the many art forms and aesthetic traditions representing the world’s rich human diversity’ while at the same time ‘encourages the students to respond with personal authenticity’. [1] Aspects that comprise what he has labeled as the New Art Basics (NAB), combine:

·         learning skills that deal with brain-based thinking / seeing strategies
·         process-centered visual thinking concepts
·         increase of creativity through building metaphoric association and perceptions, enhancing a facility for design to promote visual understanding
·         human, cultural and historic context to the study of art in order to better understand its intrinsic importance in fundamental ‘human development and socialization’. [2]

Dake underlined the importance of further exploration between art and neuroscience, as the range of abilities one has may well be enhanced by effective visual instruction. [3] More of the information that has been introduced here can be accessed by visiting the New Art Basics web site located at the following address: http://www.public.iastate.edu/~design/ART/NAB/homepage.html

 Many themes touched on in Dake’s session were echoed in other workshops, with the direction of concepts following a number of pathways. From the Anne Arundel County Public School District in Annapolis, Maryland, the NAEA session, “Process vs. Product: An Open-Ended Guide”, was presented. Here a variety of outcomes were used to help guide students at both the elementary and secondary levels in becoming proficient in the creative process, examining both sequentially developed critical response and creative expression indicators along the way. The outcomes centered on a student’s being able to demonstrate their ability to:

·         perceive, interpret and respond to ideas, experiences and the environment by utilizing the visual arts
·         understand that the visual arts are a basic component of history
·         organize knowledge and ideas for expression in the production of art
·         identify, analyze and apply criteria for making aesthetic judgments about visual art

To further help in the successful application of this art instruction paradigm, a series of artistic behaviors specific to the visual arts are identified for the successful implementation of this process. These behaviors consist of:

·         working from observation
·         working from art
·         pre-visualization and imagination
·         experimentation
·         communication
·         visual thinking [4]


Fish out of Water project, Baltimore, MD.
“Aloha Mahi-Mahi”, by Lisa Hutton

A series of student-centered creative projects illustrated the processes utilized in this methodology. Included was a selection of outdoor papier-mâché fantasy fish sculptures created by 3rd - 5th graders, based on an exhibit funded by corporate donations, and on display throughout Baltimore [5]. Also shown were a series of self portraits painted by 6th-8th graders after examining portraits by significant artists in history, (with the aim of incorporating elements and principles to create desired emotional effects. 9th - 12th graders created a photo essay employing a series of photographs and written commentary, that together establish a personal and contemporary statement.  Built into this visual art education structure are performance assessments, a yearly planning guide and a movement at the high school level from the traditional studio based format to a more holistic structure.

Paralleling much of what the Maryland education model was promoting as a redirected aim for art education, were comments made by noted art educator, Elliot Eisner, who was also a featured presenter at last year’s conference (his remarks in NY were referenced in an earlier article, “The Reconfiguration of Art Education” [5]). Eisner also discussed art education as the development of understanding of the creation / examination of art, within a context that enhanced the knowledge of skills being taught as opposed to just the creation of nice looking / sounding pieces. 

He went further than changing only art education, and discussed the need to make all learning arts centered.  Eisner stated that we need imaginative and creative thinkers in all fields, and while the fine arts have no monopoly on creative thinking, they model learning strategies that can certainly help to prepare everyone to think as artists. Adjustments in curriculum activities can help to create systemic change in the types of thinking patterns of students, putting more weight on subjective and gestalt factors to aid in making judgments, moving away from a strictly rule-based decision making model. With an expanded tool box to work with, students become freer to push the envelope of  their own cognitive abilities, embracing uncertainty and surprise.  In Eisner’s words, “Working at the edge of incompetence is a desirable place to be.” 

Implicit in his remarks was a warning that looking at learning standards through measurement indicators alone, was only going to result in a culture of ‘point junkie students’ unable to progress to achieving self motivated growth. The emphasis being placed on testing is indicative of an alarming tendency to discount inquiry as a primary focus of learning, in favor of achievement measured through test scores. Eisner stressed how essential it was for the development of fresh ideas and approaches in dealing with real world issues. These would only be developed only if we were willing to push the importance of exploration over discovery, metaphor over literal definitions and the imaginative rather than the factual. Eisner concluded his talk by quoting Robert Browning who said, “A man’s grasp should exceed his reach...” Further information regarding Professor Eisner and his research can be obtained online at the following addresses:

http://www.bsu.edu/classes/bauer/hpmused/eisner/eisner.html

http://www.stanford.edu/dept/SUSE/faculty/faculty/eisner.html


“Dambulah”, by Edouard Duval Carrie

The cultural and historic imperative of art were further demonstrated in a number of workshops and presentations.  Representing this focus of the sessions being offered, was a narration and display of work by contemporary Haitian artist, Edouard Duval Carrie, the Korean Ceramics Project that dealt with the preservation and practice of ancient pottery techniques and philosophies, and a mural painting workshop presented by muralist Christina Schlesinger, whose work included a series of murals in public spaces in California that mirrored the culture and people in the areas they were created in. 

Carrie’s work was displayed as part of the Miami Artist Series at the convention. His work deals with the portrayal of the Haitian people, their history and cultural / religious beliefs.  Often very provocative, they combine subject matter from African folktales, classical mythology and world and contemporary events. The artist described his presentation as a call to tolerance, sharing a considerable amount of information centered on the Voodoo religion that is a mainstay of much of traditional Haitian society. 

His artwork was at times politically motivated, indicating oppressive forces in Haitian history, from being enslaved by the French while still in Africa, to political oppression under the Duvalier regime in Haiti. Other works depicted cultural and religious imagery from Haitian folklore of the deities that are part of the Voodoo religion.  The imagery in Carrie’s paintings is filled with exotic beings and highly detailed and patterned surfaces, aesthetic sensibilities influenced by the West and Africa. Also included in the presentation was a series of sculptures of Voodoo effigies. Among the many fascinating and mysterious figures and animals that populate Carrie’s work were serpents (revered by Haitians and representative of time), mermaid figures that are seen as protectors of children, military figures portrayed as mad dogs, and voodoo figures dressed in top hats.  Examples of Carrie’s work can be seen online at:http:/www.edouard-duval-carrie.com/index2.html


“Chagall Comes to Venice Beach”, Christina Schlesinger

The third session attended that followed the focus of art as an expression of culture was Christina Schlesinger’s mural painting workshop.  Schlesinger has been working on constructing murals for the past 25 years, primarily working in California but also involved in projects in New York as well.  Many of the murals were painted by/with East Los Angeles Chicano youths, or members of the community in which the murals were created.  This included rival gang members, imprisoned populations, school children and senior citizens.

Community involvement gave a sense of self esteem and empowerment to the people working on the projects.  The spaces in which the murals were created took on a greater sense of ownership and importance for the people who participated in their making. Festivals and dedications also became a part of the process. Among the works that were shown in Schlesinger’s presentation was a mile long mural in California on a concrete floodway that acts as storm funnel, diverting water that would otherwise overflow the streets and pour into the basements of homes.

The kids who worked on the mural were students who had been in trouble with the law and were paid minimum wage to work on the project. The Army Corps of Engineers trucked in water to the workers. 100 kids and a dozen artists worked on the mural.  Upon its completion, the area around it was turned into a park, with a series of benches so that people could sit and view the whole work. 

Another work Schlesinger was involved in was the creation a mural in Venice, CA. on the outside of a Jewish Community Center, entitled, “Chagall Comes to Venice Beach.” The painting had to be redone after the 1994 earthquake. She also helped design a mural for a matchbook factory that used designs on matchbook covers as resource material and included a circle with a slash running diagonally across a BIC lighter, a reference being made to the culprit that had almost caused the downfall of the paper matchbook industry. The mural had been created on separate panels that were to be installed on the side of the factory. Prior to their installation they were driven around town on a flatbed trailer, accompanied by a performance of the local high school marching band and additional attractions that came together in a parade celebration.

A mural that was created for P.S. 190 in NYC dealt with the death of a black man in a white neighborhood. The imagery was later used in a book that explored the topic of how children deal with grief.  Also included in the presentation was information dealing with techniques that can be employed in the creation of murals.  Material choices, the process for developing images, designing the mural and transferring images to the mural’s surface, painting suggestions and surface protection ideas were shared.

A completely different part of the world and cultural background was represented in the Korean Ceramics Project.    The session, hosted by noted Korean potter and educator, Dr. Arthur Kyung Jae Park and his wife, Mary Park, who is also a potter and art educator, highlighted the ancient art of Korean ceramics, including a series of procedures and processes that are not well known in the West.  These include hand building and decorative strategies that produce an infinite number of possible effects and many simplifying techniques when working with clay.  This style of ceramics may be viewed online at the following sites:
Seattle Art Museum: Explore Korea http://www.seattleartmuseum.org
Korean Arts http://www.ware4u.com
Los Angeles County Museum of Art http://www.lacma.org
The Center for Korean Studies http://www2.hawaii.edu/korea/bibliography
The Parks will also have a web site as part of their company, East Gate Arts, Inc. sometime soon.  At the moment, they may be reached by e-mail at morningearth@earthlink.org


Celadon Wine pot and stopper. Korya Dynasty, Korea. Early 13th century.

The Parks have been providing workshops and information forums concerning Korean ceramics all over the United States, distributing information packets and selling videos of Korean arts and culture.  In addition to workshops, the Parks also arrange for f artists and art educators to visit Korea and experience firsthand the ceramics, sculpture, woodworking and fiber art created by Korea’s Human Cultural Treasures, as well as be immersed in Korean culture.  Information can be obtained by e-mailing the above address. As a side note, the Parks will be featured presenters at the Art Educators of Minnesota Fall Conference in 2002.  Information regarding the Fall Conference will be available on the AEM web site at:http://www.aem-mn.org

Mentioned in the opening of this article was a technology component that made up a significant portion of convention presentations. Sessions dealt with raising technological proficiency of future art educators so they can impart the necessary skills needed by students, online courses and virtual sites dealing with all areas of curriculum and interest. The development of software and hardware reaching the marketplace at explosive rates to meet the needs of a more technologically-driven society, and more investiture in student centered work generated through the inputting of data by junior high school students into their own electronic portfolios, were just some of what conference goers were able to experience. 

Reliance on computers and the opportunities they bring is increasingly becoming a part of education, as it strives to meet the expectations of a society that is changing at an ever increasing rate. The emphasis on student-directed learning and the expectation of higher levels of understanding that is made possible through the incorporation of technology, ultimately helps to create a much more fluid access to information than has ever been possible before. The equal availability of those resources, to all populations, however, is still a detracting factor in being able to make open and indiscriminate access a reality.  The tools that could be provided through those resources would certainly allow for significant exploration into areas of inquiry and investigation. Those tools could easily be utilized to assist us in bringing into reality imagined possibilities and creative solutions that are so fundamentally important in helping us to find successful options for dealing with the issues in today’s world.

As with all collective, people centered activities, the 2002 NAEA Convention and its multitude of themes and directions, had overriding patterns that tie together apparently disparate and disconnected avenues of thought.  Diversity of idea and experience woven into a single cloth representative of the conference expands the definition of where the horizon is, while at the same time unifying under the umbrella of diverse perspectives.  It is after all, life that the investigation of art is really all about. The development of our humanity and building of human relationships is enriched through that process.

[1]. http://www.public.iastate.edu/~design/ART/NAB/new.html
[2]  “The Changing Face of Art Education”, by Dennis M. Dake and Barbara Caldwell, School Arts, March 2000
[3]  “Brain Compatible Visual Education – Part 2”, by Dennis M. Dake, Translations, Summer 2000  - Vol. 9 #3
[4] “Process vs. Product: An Open-Ended Guide”, Anne Arundel County Public Schools, Annapolis, Maryland
[5] http://baltimore.about.com/library/blarmoredfish.htm?IAM=sherlock_abc&terms=Out+of+Water+Fish+Sculptures
[6] http://www.art-themagazine.com/pages/insite3.htm

Kevan Nitzberg is an art educationalist and was Minnesota Educator of the Year, 2000. To suggest a subject matter you would like searched, click here to send a message.

congruent perspectives radiating from multiple centers: 2002 naea convention


“Migrations of Crossing”, Edouard Duval Carrie

The eye as an extension of the brain, transatlantic crossings of multiple deities, warring gang members collaborating on murals decorating concrete floodways, virtual interactive art education and creation, revisiting ceramics through ancient cultural forms, arts and artists serving as community resources, techno-literacy in the arts, fighting the straight jacket of assessment through testing, knowledge and skill versus achievement norms, the sci / art connection…

These were but a few of the directions explored at this year’s National Art Education Association Convention, (at Miami Beach from March 22nd through the 26th). Held at the Fontainebleau II Hotel right along side the Atlantic coastline, this year’s NAEA Convention provided an amazing array of viewpoints and motifs for contemplation and exploration. Against the backdrop of white sandy beaches, the frenetic pace of the nightlife in South Beach, the almost lazy, hypnotic sound of the surf and the cries of assorted sea birds, the whole tone of the convention seemed to move in concert with the ebb and flow of the energy of the landscape. The panorama of sight and sound provided stimulus for the 2500 or so attendees at this year’s conference, as they went from one venue to another during the 5 days of the event. Offered as something of a synthesized version of those experiences, are the following reflections on some of the workshops I attended.

Dennis Dake, Professor at Iowa State University, offered a new global approach to learner-centered art education that takes promotes a ‘balance in the many art forms and aesthetic traditions representing the world’s rich human diversity’ while at the same time ‘encourages the students to respond with personal authenticity’. [1] Aspects that comprise what he has labeled as the New Art Basics (NAB), combine:

·         learning skills that deal with brain-based thinking / seeing strategies
·         process-centered visual thinking concepts
·         increase of creativity through building metaphoric association and perceptions, enhancing a facility for design to promote visual understanding
·         human, cultural and historic context to the study of art in order to better understand its intrinsic importance in fundamental ‘human development and socialization’. [2]

Dake underlined the importance of further exploration between art and neuroscience, as the range of abilities one has may well be enhanced by effective visual instruction. [3] More of the information that has been introduced here can be accessed by visiting the New Art Basics web site located at the following address: http://www.public.iastate.edu/~design/ART/NAB/homepage.html

 Many themes touched on in Dake’s session were echoed in other workshops, with the direction of concepts following a number of pathways. From the Anne Arundel County Public School District in Annapolis, Maryland, the NAEA session, “Process vs. Product: An Open-Ended Guide”, was presented. Here a variety of outcomes were used to help guide students at both the elementary and secondary levels in becoming proficient in the creative process, examining both sequentially developed critical response and creative expression indicators along the way. The outcomes centered on a student’s being able to demonstrate their ability to:

·         perceive, interpret and respond to ideas, experiences and the environment by utilizing the visual arts
·         understand that the visual arts are a basic component of history
·         organize knowledge and ideas for expression in the production of art
·         identify, analyze and apply criteria for making aesthetic judgments about visual art

To further help in the successful application of this art instruction paradigm, a series of artistic behaviors specific to the visual arts are identified for the successful implementation of this process. These behaviors consist of:

·         working from observation
·         working from art
·         pre-visualization and imagination
·         experimentation
·         communication
·         visual thinking [4]


Fish out of Water project, Baltimore, MD.
“Aloha Mahi-Mahi”, by Lisa Hutton

A series of student-centered creative projects illustrated the processes utilized in this methodology. Included was a selection of outdoor papier-mâché fantasy fish sculptures created by 3rd - 5th graders, based on an exhibit funded by corporate donations, and on display throughout Baltimore [5]. Also shown were a series of self portraits painted by 6th-8th graders after examining portraits by significant artists in history, (with the aim of incorporating elements and principles to create desired emotional effects. 9th - 12th graders created a photo essay employing a series of photographs and written commentary, that together establish a personal and contemporary statement.  Built into this visual art education structure are performance assessments, a yearly planning guide and a movement at the high school level from the traditional studio based format to a more holistic structure.

Paralleling much of what the Maryland education model was promoting as a redirected aim for art education, were comments made by noted art educator, Elliot Eisner, who was also a featured presenter at last year’s conference (his remarks in NY were referenced in an earlier article, “The Reconfiguration of Art Education” [5]). Eisner also discussed art education as the development of understanding of the creation / examination of art, within a context that enhanced the knowledge of skills being taught as opposed to just the creation of nice looking / sounding pieces. 

He went further than changing only art education, and discussed the need to make all learning arts centered.  Eisner stated that we need imaginative and creative thinkers in all fields, and while the fine arts have no monopoly on creative thinking, they model learning strategies that can certainly help to prepare everyone to think as artists. Adjustments in curriculum activities can help to create systemic change in the types of thinking patterns of students, putting more weight on subjective and gestalt factors to aid in making judgments, moving away from a strictly rule-based decision making model. With an expanded tool box to work with, students become freer to push the envelope of  their own cognitive abilities, embracing uncertainty and surprise.  In Eisner’s words, “Working at the edge of incompetence is a desirable place to be.” 

Implicit in his remarks was a warning that looking at learning standards through measurement indicators alone, was only going to result in a culture of ‘point junkie students’ unable to progress to achieving self motivated growth. The emphasis being placed on testing is indicative of an alarming tendency to discount inquiry as a primary focus of learning, in favor of achievement measured through test scores. Eisner stressed how essential it was for the development of fresh ideas and approaches in dealing with real world issues. These would only be developed only if we were willing to push the importance of exploration over discovery, metaphor over literal definitions and the imaginative rather than the factual. Eisner concluded his talk by quoting Robert Browning who said, “A man’s grasp should exceed his reach...” Further information regarding Professor Eisner and his research can be obtained online at the following addresses:

http://www.bsu.edu/classes/bauer/hpmused/eisner/eisner.html

http://www.stanford.edu/dept/SUSE/faculty/faculty/eisner.html


“Dambulah”, by Edouard Duval Carrie

The cultural and historic imperative of art were further demonstrated in a number of workshops and presentations.  Representing this focus of the sessions being offered, was a narration and display of work by contemporary Haitian artist, Edouard Duval Carrie, the Korean Ceramics Project that dealt with the preservation and practice of ancient pottery techniques and philosophies, and a mural painting workshop presented by muralist Christina Schlesinger, whose work included a series of murals in public spaces in California that mirrored the culture and people in the areas they were created in. 

Carrie’s work was displayed as part of the Miami Artist Series at the convention. His work deals with the portrayal of the Haitian people, their history and cultural / religious beliefs.  Often very provocative, they combine subject matter from African folktales, classical mythology and world and contemporary events. The artist described his presentation as a call to tolerance, sharing a considerable amount of information centered on the Voodoo religion that is a mainstay of much of traditional Haitian society. 

His artwork was at times politically motivated, indicating oppressive forces in Haitian history, from being enslaved by the French while still in Africa, to political oppression under the Duvalier regime in Haiti. Other works depicted cultural and religious imagery from Haitian folklore of the deities that are part of the Voodoo religion.  The imagery in Carrie’s paintings is filled with exotic beings and highly detailed and patterned surfaces, aesthetic sensibilities influenced by the West and Africa. Also included in the presentation was a series of sculptures of Voodoo effigies. Among the many fascinating and mysterious figures and animals that populate Carrie’s work were serpents (revered by Haitians and representative of time), mermaid figures that are seen as protectors of children, military figures portrayed as mad dogs, and voodoo figures dressed in top hats.  Examples of Carrie’s work can be seen online at:http:/www.edouard-duval-carrie.com/


“Chagall Comes to Venice Beach”, Christina Schlesinger

The third session attended that followed the focus of art as an expression of culture was Christina Schlesinger’s mural painting workshop.  Schlesinger has been working on constructing murals for the past 25 years, primarily working in California but also involved in projects in New York as well.  Many of the murals were painted by/with East Los Angeles Chicano youths, or members of the community in which the murals were created.  This included rival gang members, imprisoned populations, school children and senior citizens.

Community involvement gave a sense of self esteem and empowerment to the people working on the projects.  The spaces in which the murals were created took on a greater sense of ownership and importance for the people who participated in their making. Festivals and dedications also became a part of the process. Among the works that were shown in Schlesinger’s presentation was a mile long mural in California on a concrete floodway that acts as storm funnel, diverting water that would otherwise overflow the streets and pour into the basements of homes.

The kids who worked on the mural were students who had been in trouble with the law and were paid minimum wage to work on the project. The Army Corps of Engineers trucked in water to the workers. 100 kids and a dozen artists worked on the mural.  Upon its completion, the area around it was turned into a park, with a series of benches so that people could sit and view the whole work. 

Another work Schlesinger was involved in was the creation a mural in Venice, CA. on the outside of a Jewish Community Center, entitled, “Chagall Comes to Venice Beach.” The painting had to be redone after the 1994 earthquake. She also helped design a mural for a matchbook factory that used designs on matchbook covers as resource material and included a circle with a slash running diagonally across a BIC lighter, a reference being made to the culprit that had almost caused the downfall of the paper matchbook industry. The mural had been created on separate panels that were to be installed on the side of the factory. Prior to their installation they were driven around town on a flatbed trailer, accompanied by a performance of the local high school marching band and additional attractions that came together in a parade celebration.

A mural that was created for P.S. 190 in NYC dealt with the death of a black man in a white neighborhood. The imagery was later used in a book that explored the topic of how children deal with grief.  Also included in the presentation was information dealing with techniques that can be employed in the creation of murals.  Material choices, the process for developing images, designing the mural and transferring images to the mural’s surface, painting suggestions and surface protection ideas were shared.

A completely different part of the world and cultural background was represented in the Korean Ceramics Project.    The session, hosted by noted Korean potter and educator, Dr. Arthur Kyung Jae Park and his wife, Mary Park, who is also a potter and art educator, highlighted the ancient art of Korean ceramics, including a series of procedures and processes that are not well known in the West.  These include hand building and decorative strategies that produce an infinite number of possible effects and many simplifying techniques when working with clay.  This style of ceramics may be viewed online at the following sites:
Seattle Art Museum: Explore Korea http://www.seattleartmuseum.org
Korean Arts http://www.ware4u.com
Los Angeles County Museum of Art http://www.lacma.org
The Center for Korean Studies http://www2.hawaii.edu/korea/bibliography
The Parks will also have a web site as part of their company, East Gate Arts, Inc. sometime soon.  At the moment, they may be reached by e-mail at morningearth@earthlink.org


Celadon Wine pot and stopper. Korya Dynasty, Korea. Early 13th century.

The Parks have been providing workshops and information forums concerning Korean ceramics all over the United States, distributing information packets and selling videos of Korean arts and culture.  In addition to workshops, the Parks also arrange for f artists and art educators to visit Korea and experience firsthand the ceramics, sculpture, woodworking and fiber art created by Korea’s Human Cultural Treasures, as well as be immersed in Korean culture.  Information can be obtained by e-mailing the above address. As a side note, the Parks will be featured presenters at the Art Educators of Minnesota Fall Conference in 2002.  Information regarding the Fall Conference will be available on the AEM web site at:http://www.aem-mn.org

Mentioned in the opening of this article was a technology component that made up a significant portion of convention presentations. Sessions dealt with raising technological proficiency of future art educators so they can impart the necessary skills needed by students, online courses and virtual sites dealing with all areas of curriculum and interest. The development of software and hardware reaching the marketplace at explosive rates to meet the needs of a more technologically-driven society, and more investiture in student centered work generated through the inputting of data by junior high school students into their own electronic portfolios, were just some of what conference goers were able to experience. 

Reliance on computers and the opportunities they bring is increasingly becoming a part of education, as it strives to meet the expectations of a society that is changing at an ever increasing rate. The emphasis on student-directed learning and the expectation of higher levels of understanding that is made possible through the incorporation of technology, ultimately helps to create a much more fluid access to information than has ever been possible before. The equal availability of those resources, to all populations, however, is still a detracting factor in being able to make open and indiscriminate access a reality.  The tools that could be provided through those resources would certainly allow for significant exploration into areas of inquiry and investigation. Those tools could easily be utilized to assist us in bringing into reality imagined possibilities and creative solutions that are so fundamentally important in helping us to find successful options for dealing with the issues in today’s world.

As with all collective, people centered activities, the 2002 NAEA Convention and its multitude of themes and directions, had overriding patterns that tie together apparently disparate and disconnected avenues of thought.  Diversity of idea and experience woven into a single cloth representative of the conference expands the definition of where the horizon is, while at the same time unifying under the umbrella of diverse perspectives.  It is after all, life that the investigation of art is really all about. The development of our humanity and building of human relationships is enriched through that process.

[1]. http://www.public.iastate.edu/~design/ART/NAB/new.html
[2]  “The Changing Face of Art Education”, by Dennis M. Dake and Barbara Caldwell, School Arts, March 2000
[3]  “Brain Compatible Visual Education – Part 2”, by Dennis M. Dake, Translations, Summer 2000  - Vol. 9 #3
[4] “Process vs. Product: An Open-Ended Guide”, Anne Arundel County Public Schools, Annapolis, Maryland
[5] http://baltimore.about.com/library/blarmoredfish.htm?IAM=sherlock_abc&terms=Out+of+Water+Fish+Sculptures
[6] http://www.art-themagazine.com/pages/insite3.htm

Kevan Nitzberg is an art educationalist and was Minnesota Educator of the Year, 2000. To suggest a subject matter you would like searched, click here to send a message.

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