Perpetual Mootness

In her article for Edutopia.org (http://www.edutopia.org/arts-music-curriculum-child-development), Fran Smith lays out familiar points in favor of arts education such as early exposure to the arts and governmental policies recognizing the value of arts. The decline of art programs as part of school curriculum is noted with the added caution of the difficulties encountered when these programs are reintroduced. Ann Hulbert points out that the arts do not offer quantifiable results in overall school performance in her article, Drawing Lessons (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/27/magazine/27wwln-lede-t.html). She cites statistics and studies to illustrate the fuzzy logic of art education supporters and their claims of success and the reality of clinical investigations that continually show little connection between art and testing success.

The Edutopia article by Fran Smith is an example of the confidence the pro-art education faction has in their beliefs. The Rand Corporation is cited as a supporting authority, as well as other other studies and evaluations. The difference between the two articles lies in the mechanics of the investigations and their results. Ms. Smith takes the academic approach in defining her case by presenting articles, quotes and positive results in classroom examples. The Hulbert article cites clinical examinations by professionals working within the scientific method. The facts and opinions in Drawing Lessons can hardly be disputed without resulting in fingers wagging and desperate appeals

The methodical, double blind placebo examinations cannot be easily disregarded. I must argue that the scientific process can only be superficially applied to art and art education. The success that comes from an early education enhanced by exposure to the arts does not neatly fit onto a Scantron sheet. Studies and opinions can be cultivated to support any side of an argument. This is learned early by any who want to add authority to their opinion. The discussion between the two articles will never find common ground since they are not two sides of the same coin. Since art education is, conceptually, a fluid condition in terms of knowledge acquisition, the level of integration and expression is as different as every pupil in a class is from each other. The Smith article reflects the opinions of many in the arts and simply reinforces popular beliefs. A serious obstacle to dissuading believers, and I am in this group, is the observational and experiential evidence we have witnessed. We know what we know because we have seen what we’ve seen. Not a very good argument in logical terms but strong enough to plant the feet of many art educators against naysayers and bean counters.

Laotian Design Studio Project

The iconic image of a clown has much more meaning today than it did fifty years ago. The perpetual smile and entertaining antics of the old Barnum & Bailey Circus performer has been adopted by the counter culture and it has become the poster boy for latent maliciousness that runs deeper than basic childhood delinquency. The clown with a painted face can be traced to the masked tricksters from Greek tragedies. This mythic character is, at times, the outspoken voice of reason in the face of hubristic endeavors. This character has also come to be viewed, in the Western European tradition, as a representation of everyman as he puts on an outward appearance of happiness to hide the sorrow within his soul.

         I chose this particular image of a maniacal clown from the characters created by my younger son. He is keenly interested in comics and all their manifestations from the Sunday Funny Pages to Miyazaki’s anime masterpieces. This version is a portly acrobatic performer seen at the moment of springing off a ball towards the viewer. The voluptuous contours are played against the ragged regularity of the decorative leaf pattern that demarks the margin. The contrast between the two major elements is also marked by their historical and cultural differences. The pattern is an interpretation of traditional vegetative and floral designs from Laos. These types of graphic representations have symbolic and historic connotations often used to decorate official buildings and temples. There is iconographical meanings attached to the patterns but these have been largely usurped in this image by the decorative alignment and intentional somber colors. The predominant culture exemplified in this splash page is the current comic style of appropriation and redirection.

            The clown in graphic comic terms is often a malevolent misanthrope intent on inflicting some heinous scheme upon a particular victim. The perpetual smile is as much a mask as Batman’s cowl or Clark Kent’s glasses. The makeup provides anonymity and with it the luxury of implementing the necessary steps to carry out his intended crimes, but comics are morality plays and this means that this chubby jester will see some form of justice eventually- this is built into the Joey (comic)/Auguste culture. The duality of funny/evil is echoed by those of good guy/bad guy and crime/punishment.

            The colors of the solitary figure are the most clean and bold of the illustration. Primary and secondary colors are traditionally associated with “happy” clowns in the west and in this case they add to the mask that this character hides behind. The background and pattern colors are muted complements following examples from 19^th century circus posters. These were printed before process colors or inks were developed and subsequently have a strong neutral cast to them. The integration of the Laotian design parallels the similar appropriation of traditional European patterns common in advertisings and posters in the early days of commercial printing. The variegated leaf pattern was altered and inserted behind the figure and the ball to add a threatening element as well as to add visual depth. The drawing and color application followed the old style of hand compositing used before computers made their generic impact on illustrating. This piece would have qualified as a color trial for a character study and would be refined by reworking the image with more appropriate techniques, specifically pen and ink to give it a smoother look that would afford greater visual impact.

            The colors are meant to suggest an impending nightfall with glow of the afternoon reluctantly ebbing. Comic book evildoers often commit wicked deeds in the dark of night because just as it not only hides their actions it adds to the malevolent aura attached to their position. This clown is displayed with only allusions to evil. It is suggested through his expression, positioning and tools of the trade. It only hints at the badness that may come later and that badness may be very grave. Lon Chaney, familiar with the value of makeup and the advantages of playing the fool to achieve his goals, is credited with saying, “there is nothing funny about a clown in the moonlight.”

Yes, I Will Have Another Piece of Humble Pie Please

My Studio Problems is presenting some frustrating problems and these are dredging up some horrific elementary school memories I hoped to have suppressed. One issue is the number of class exercises that I cannot organize and pick off with any success, but it seems as if many others in the class are in the same boat of confusion as myself. 

                                             "C" level work.
                                            My hearts before I screw them up.

There is a critical element that confounds and proves unavoidable, the crappy construction paper and awful art materials that have to be used to create these treasures. The concepts behind these lessons are vital to create effective and cohesive art lesson plans but using these materials and rediscovering their woeful inadequacies reminds me of my earliest school projects. 

I remember hating art projects to the point where I would do them as quickly as possible, or find some alternate way to do the assignment. This would lead to praise from the teachers and getting my ass kicked at recess. I never took art after the sixth grade, drawing only for myself until I stumbled into an art class in college.

Intentions aside, there are alternatives to the materials presented in formative school years. My wife receives supplies from parent groups and uses a portion of her alotted budget for materials that can endure mistakes and efforts to correct them. It is necessary for the motivated instructor to reach out to groups, associations, the district office or whoever has the good stuff.

Meanwhile I return to my sad little efforts. Maybe I can iron them or lay some sizing on before using watercolor. Its more likely that I will use some substitution to regain some control.