Art has stood the test of time, spanning through different eras, cultures, and countries. It can be a catalyst for social issues, political debates, and propaganda. It can give you a bird’s eye view of one persons feelings or an entire nation’s climate. You can learn so much about a culture by its art. Because of this I feel that teaching art is incredibly important. And because art is so subjective, it is a great outlet for students to express themselves. I strongly believe that there is an artist in everyone. Not everyone can draw like Da Vinci, nor paint like Van Gogh, but each person has an artist in them. They just need help bringing the artist in them out.
I want to show kids that they can find inspiration from everything around them. From the rusty broken down VW bus on the side of the road, to a patch of freshly bloomed roses in a front yard, to a Quentin Tarantino film. They just need to be open to seeing the world in a different way. I also want to bring to their attention that art is everywhere – not just in a museum. The graffiti on the freeway underpass, the clean look of the iMac computer, and the sleek design of the Walt Disney Concert Hall are all examples of how art infiltrates the world we live in.
In the majority of school subjects, there is a lot of emphasis on finding “the right answer” and to pass tests. This leaves very little time or room to be creative and think outside the box. In contrast, being creative and thinking out of the box is necessary and precisely what the subject of art is all about. I truly believe that art can be taught to anyone and everyone can learn to appreciate and enjoy art in some form or another. It’s simply a matter of engaging each student individually, and tailoring it to make it relevant and relatable to them.