AE610: Survey of Art Education

AE610: Survey of Art Education Early Art Education in America

Agenda • Why Art? (15 minutes) • Discussion of Western Origins wiki contributions (15 minutes) • Early Art Education in America (60 minutes) • Break (15 minutes) • Contributors Project research instructions/ Work session (60 minutes)

Some Historical Developments in Art Education (Eisner and Ecker) • Art Ed functions in at least 2 contexts: • 1. The school • 2. The society in which the school functions • Although what happens in the school has some influence on society, the rapid and dramatic changes in American society have greatly impacted the school • Factors: Political, social, economic and intellectual

What are some contemporary examples of how the schools influence society/ society influences school for the following factors?PoliticalSocialIntellectualEconomic

Western Origins of Art Education Part II • The Introduction of Art in the Schools • Ben Franklin advocates art instruction as early as 1770 • Formal intro of art education begins in 19th ct • Minifie and Fowle-drawing as art and art as drawing (aid to industry better writing habits, refinement) • 1864-Drawing is required in Boston Public Schools • Art is placed in the service of industry and becomes an important vocational skill • 1871-Massachusetts requires all boys over 15 take drawing classes. Walter Smith of England is recruited. • Copybook instructions; drawing is the acquisition of a useful vocational skill (Art is a matter of training not talent).

Western Origins of Art Education Part II • The Introduction of Art in the Schools (continued) • 1873-First Art Normal School opens (headed by Walter Smith) to prepare art teachers. • 1885-Smith relieved of his position for unclear reasons and returns to England. Copybook manner he proposed lasted many years. • Immigration and industrialization are increasing. • Between 1892 and 1924, the peak years of immigration to the United States, 22 million immigrants entered the country through Ellis Island and the Port of New York.

Art class at Boston Normal School ca 1891-96 http://openarchives.umb.edu/cdm/ref/collection/p15774coll9/id/17

Western Origins of Art Education Part II • The Growth of Professional Education Movements • 1880’s-Child Study Movement (G. Stanley Hall) • Pestalozzi, Froebel, and Herbart influenced CSM by looking at the child’s development (mental & physical) • New concept of the child: an individual with particular and even unique needs whose mind differed qualitatively from that of an adult. Children are NOT miniature adults • Inexpensive watercolors and crayons are introduced (early 1900’s) • School Arts magazine is founded (Taste in all matters relating to arts…) • The National Education Association forms an art dept with Langston Thompson as it’s first president. • 1893-Columbia Exhibit boost interest in child art (portfolio displays)

Western Origins of Art Education Part II • Art Education for Art Appreciation • At the turn of the century, with the changing ideas of art education from manual skills in industrial vocation, art education began to emphasize the appreciation of beauty. • Picture Study Movement begins-children are shown masterpieces by the world’s “greatest” artists and encouraged to become familiar with their lives and work (mainly Renaissance and Victorian Pre-Raphaelites (no modern art). • Mostly used to instill societal values. • This attitude remains prevalent for a number of years (late 1800’s and began to fade by the end of the 1920’s).

Western Origins of Art Education Part II • Art Education for Art Production • Arthur Wesley Dow (Columbia U) -Elements and Principles of Art –Theory and Practice of Teaching Art (1912) Theories of Composition. • Elements- (3) line, value and color • Principles- (5) Opposition, Transition, Subordination, Repetition and Symmetry • Results in systematic instruction • Walter Sargent(U of Chicago) • Focused on process where children learn to draw and the psychology behind it. Best known work-How Children Learn to Draw (1916). 3 Factors for a child-must want to say something, child needs to use devices to draw effectively, may draw one thing well but not others. • “Drawing becomes a tool with which to think.” • Impact of Psychology-Hall, Thorndike, etc.

Western Origins of Art Education Part II • Art Education for Creative Development and Mental Health • John Dewey (Art as Experience 1934) and Sigmund Freud (1st half of 20th ct) • Dewey influenced by Darwin and James -coming to terms with your environment (experiences) • Becomes the ideological leader of the Progressive Education Association, but disagrees with many tenets. • Creativity becomes an educational issue • Progressive writers in AE: Mathias, Boas, Cane and D’Amico. • Creative Self Expression becomes a new “buzz word” • Relationship to art and other curriculum areas/therapeutic art/art as release (Freud’sInterpretation of Dreams)

Western Origins of Art Education Part II • Recognition of Modern Art, Technology and Scientific Inquiry • The influence of Victorian art education was prevalent until the 40’s viewing children’s art work. • By the 1950’s modern art was being recognized widely • Bauhaus influences • Viktor Lowenfeld’s work laid a psychological foundation for the way children develop in and through art, crystalized the teaching of AE, and became the major training strategy for art educators in the 1940’s and 1950’s. • The Nature of Creative Activity and Creative and Mental Growth were hallmarks of AE literature. 1960-Death ofLowenfeld

Western Origins of Art Education Part II • Recognition of Modern Art, Technology and Scientific Inquiry (continued) • Lowenfeld’s legacy -Interest in creative and mental growth; art is a vehicle for facilitating this growth • Primary focus was the child as a seeing, thinking and feeling human being (whole child development) • Child is paramount, art is instrumental (coloring books forbidden and contests deemed detrimental) • Lowenfeld had a huge impact on AE because his writings were scholarly, well received and he was in a position to influence art education widely

“One of the crucial tasks for art educators is not one of finding ways to resist change but, rather, to employ critical procedures by which wise choices may be made among competing proposals for change” (Eisner & Ecker, 1970).

Western Origins of Art Education Part II • Conclusions and Review: • As American culture has changed, art education has changed to reflect it. • Art education has changed with the institutional focus • Creating an individual of culture/ cultured tastes • Teaching vocational skill • Developing creative intelligence • Art Education operates within the context of the school and within the context of society. • How do we as art educators embrace change and understand research that is relevant to our field? Action Research? Philosophical Research? Quantitative (numbers-what, where, and when) vs Qualitative Research (why and how)?

AE610: Survey of Art Education