In a message dated 09/23/2001 6:40:29 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
> Art is a vehicle that allows artists to go inward and discover
their own > thoughts about things. This is an incubation period
that thereafter > produces visual expressions. My thinking is
that the main purpose of the > arts in education is art
"appreciation"....and much of that has to be to > help the
students understand what it would be like to be an artist. How >
hard is life for the artist? What kind of things do artists
think about? > What kind of sacrifices do artists make to
develop their talents and try to > make a living at the same
time? How do surroundings affect how the artist > sees and
responds, which would include dramatic and major events? Where
do > artists sense their value and purpose in such times as
these? Thank You Larry... Teaching advanced art in HS, I leave
the "theme" up to my students. Their given a media to work with
or maybe a directive such as "the figure" to work with -but they
are to develop a strong composition