Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.
~Pablo Picasso
This is the ultimate challenge to artists, isn’t it–to hold onto that wild abandon and curiosity when making art. As we grow up, for some reason that changes. How we make and view art as adults does a complete 180, and I believe this issue needs to be addressed. In this day and age as we talk about creativity and how this new generation lacks creativity, we must ask ourselves how did we get here? Then, we need to figure out how we can change that.
Somewhere along the line, we are taught that the skill to make things realistic is equal to beautiful/good art. That coloring in the lines is a goal. That creation comes with a set of directions that needs to be followed. Things like expression through messiness and exploration through process go to the wayside. Does this stem from an unconscious connection to the development of fine motor skills (FMS)? Perhaps somewhere we think that as we develop our FMS, our art should follow suit–that it needs to look sharp and be realistic. But, I think that is taking away what art could and should be.
The old adage that says “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” comes to mind. Art could be defined by this, and many people do define art this way. But, should it be defined by this? I think this minimizes what art is. I think children get it right. For children, art is about the process. It’s not defined by skill. It’s not about correctness. It’s about telling a story. It’s about making what is in their head a reality.
And, we as adults need to understand that. We have been told for so long what to do and how to do it that we have lost track of our inner child. And, as art teachers, we have an opportunity to help create the next generation of adults who can see art and make art as they did as children.
Art 1 student in-progress work
You have to be in a state of play to design.
~Paula Scher
That is where Teaching for Artistic Behavior can come into play. (See what I did there?) Starting at the elementary level, we can not only teach kids how to behave like artists, but we can teach ourselves and our colleagues to see their, the children’s, work for what they intend it to be. We can stop telling our students what to create and how to create it, and let them tell us what they want to create and how they want to create it. Each student has her own story and voice to tell it. We can stop pushing our adult agenda and aesthetics on students and listen to them.
This doesn’t mean we don’t help our students improve their skill. This doesn’t mean we don’t teach them about composition or color theory or shading or foreshortening or art history. Those things are important parts of art, and we should incorporate them into our lessons, but should they be the most important or central part about art? We need to help guide our students on their journey and see their journey for what it is…and we need to look at it at their level. We need to meet them where they are. We need to stop telling them what art should look like, but instead ask them what they envision it could look like.
Perhaps a bullet list will help… And remember, these lists are not mutually exclusive and they are not complete and can change with time
What art doesn’t have to be:
- photorealistic
- 24 of the “same” image (ie student created “Van Gogh sunflowers”)
- polished
- colored in the lines
- a finished product
What art could be:
- made of repurposed materials
- messy
- unfinished
- a “failure”
- a journey
- outside the lines
- unrealistic
- in need of an explanation
What should be your takeaway from this blog post? That children’s art is NOT adult art. AND, we as adults need to recognize that and stop judging it like it is. Does that sound harsh? Maybe. But, what if we did just that and helped to make a generation of artists instead of a generation of followers.
honored me months ago by asking me to help out with this year’s mini-conference, by heading up the secondary portion of the conference. This year was our second event. At our first meet-up, there were about 30 of us tops in this small conference room in a hotel in Waco, TX. Ginger Tapia set the whole thing up and it was wonderful. It was there that an event was born. This year, TAB Lab was definitely the place to be, as we more than doubled the attendance with 67 teachers. And, I am happy to say that the secondary peeps went from about 7 or 8 to almost 20. It’s a good time to be a Tx TAB teacher.
his presentation, he told us of his journey–his life journey–from the train tracks by where he grew up to his current job as a high school TAB teacher in Indiana. It was interesting to me to hear how and when he met people I know (or know of), like Clark Fralick, Diane Jacquith, Kathy, NanHathaway, and John Crowe. My biggest take away from Clyde that morning was the rhizome. He likened things to it and called us rhizomatic. (
foundation called the Taylor Educational Enrichment Foundation (TEE) that offers thousands of dollars in grants annually. I finally got the courage to write a grant proposal for a raku kiln kit. When the day finallyarrived when we would find out who would be awarded, I’ll admit, I was nervous. I heard the band and the cheerleaders coming down the hall. I kept hoping they were coming to me and not going to walk on by. My principal ducked his head into my office and told me to come out into the hallway. I was so excited. I was dancing around my classroom. I have since ordered and received the kit and I can’t wait to set it up and teach my students how to raku this fall.
I hadn’t planned on spending the conference going to so few sessions. I had hoped there would be a ton for me to learn. Unfortunately, when I looked through the program, not much stood out to me. There were TAB sessions, but many were for elementary or they were sessions to get you excited about TAB. I already am excited about TAB. I don’t need to be convinced how amazing it is–for both my students and for me. I know this is going to sound a bit egotistical, and that is not my intention. I felt there wasn’t much for teachers, TAB teachers specifically, at my level in the ways of development. Things I want to discuss and think about are above the beginning levels. Don’t get me wrong, those types of beginning level sessions are of extreme importance. And, I love presenting and giving. I just need to be getting something too.
We then headed over to the 
wicked cold while we were there. This Texan implant wasn’t having it. Anyway, that night we went to Times Square. Man, totally not the same as I remembered. When did it turn into a 24-hour sunlight extravaganza?!
Two were by 2 different men, both with wicked cool mustaches. In fact, I scribbled their mustaches in my notes. Both men were interesting and full of information that I already knew. I guess that is what happens as you move up the high school TAB ladder. One thing that I did take away from Andrew McKee’s (red mustache) presentation was the “style book”. It’s basically a place to save ideas, get ideas of what they like, are into, etc. So the students can pull from that when they create their work. I mean I have my Pinterest page that I refer to often when I create my work, but I don’t “require” my students to do that. I think it might be helpful to incorporate something like this in my art 2 classes next year…and also maybe my ceramics classes.
While I enjoyed the sessions I went to, I did think the selection, for me anyway, was limited. I don’t understand how 
sessions are selected. I don’t understand how they choose to schedule which ones and when. I also don’t understand why so few TAB/choice sessions are offered, when clearly, year after year, the sessions offered are packed–which was another downside to conference in NYC…small rooms…or at least those rooms that held popular topics were small. And, rooms that held research sessions (no offense to research) were in these huge rooms with few attendees. And when I say TAB sessions were packed, I mean, way over room/safety capacity, on the floor seating, out the door, room temp went up 15 degrees packed. NAEA needs to work on this. It is just ridiculous. I pay a lot of money, out-of-pocket, to attend the national conference. I want to get my money’s worth.
My favorite part of the conference is always the part where I get to see and hang out with my TAB/Choice mentors, colleagues, and friends. I even got to meet some new friends whom I have only seen on the interwebs. I want to thank Kathy and Diane for setting up the amazing dinner we had Friday night. And, thanks Diane for making me not sit with Hillary and Liz. It was fabulous to get to chat with Melissa, Joy,Cynthia, and Anne for a while. Spending time with those that get it, and get me, is always a good time.
TAB Studio with Mrs. B 