Art vs Craft

The long tussle between art vs craft or even Art with a capital "A"vs craft with a humble "c" has probably been going on since cave paintings. I can just imagine the conversation: "Those drawings are of Aunt Eve's bison stew recipe; that's not  real Art." "Sure it is, the bison is drawn so beautifully." "Yeah, but it's a functional drawing for a recipe. Real Art floods your soul with truth or joy or love." 


Well, I have been wrestling with the same tussle in my own head as my students do projects related to the Christmas season. I'm teaching art, I come out of a background of learning to draw and paint via the classical method. However, children love all things related to the season.

I had the second graders make decorative stockings, but I insisted they try their hand at learning how to draw a mouse correctly to place in or on their stocking. They just beamed with pride when they had successfully drawn their little mouse!

And, it was on a colorful Christmas stocking as well. What could be better?


During my middle school class, I had the students divide up, into quadrants, a photograph of a dad's hand holding a child's hand and then replicate the photo as a sketch. It was really hard for many of them, but the one who excelled the most had lots to work on, so I felt I had challenged and encouraged her today. 


I am fighting a cold and fever; so that's all for tonight for me! I want to share the story about the policeman stopping us because one of us, the driver, was talking on a cell phone and that is now against the law while driving, but that story will have to wait. I'm getting some shuteye before the next round of prayers from the mosque.
Night All!

A lone, unclaimed lion. Anyone?