This article describes the artistic carving, "Period Room from Damascus." The room dates to the early eighteenth century, reflecting the tastes of Syrians under Turkish Ottoman rule. The article highlights notable historical, cultural, and artistic elements about the room and provides questions to consider.

Professional development through the advanced planning of themed exhibitions provides art instructors in Howard County the impetus for many art problems. This art problem, centered on the art and writing contained in the storybooks of Holly Hobbie. In late summer, the art teaching staff of the Howard County Public School System gathered at the…

The International Child Art Festival, sponsored by the International Child Art Foundation, was held September 9-12, 2003, on the National Mall in Washington, DC. The three-day event was a celebration of the creativity of youth around the world. This article briefly describes the highlights of the this festival.

The author of this article is an art teacher at William H. English Middle School in Scottsburg, Indiana. She and the science teacher, decided they wanted their units on integration and teaching responsibility to the environment to mesh and create a lasting memory for students. The science component consisted of an ecology unit that led students to…

The author of this article, an art teacher at Monarch High School in Louisville, Colorado, describes how her experience teaching in a new school presented an exciting visual challenge for an art teacher--monotonous brick walls just waiting for decoration. This school experienced only minimal instances of graffiti, but as an art teacher, she did…

A culture can be remembered and studied by the artwork it leaves behind. The artwork gives more than a pictorial or historical record of that culture. It also reveals the cultural practices and beliefs that form the accepted boundaries for the expression of culture. These boundaries are aesthetics. It is human nature to sometimes challenge these…

In response to a challenge by a school administrator for "some sort of mural" in the high school where she teaches art, the author of this article created a course called Art for Public Places. She wanted to create a course that would promote a sense of community among students in the class and ownership in their school environment. Also, she…

Explores an educator's attempt and failure to establish an indigenous school on a reservation in Brazil using art education and the language of the arts and illustrates historical, social, and cultural issues through narratives from individuals who participated. Indicates that the curriculum and instruction encouraged positive cultural identity in…

Examines the notion of "accurate" and "authentic" representations of culture in multicultural art education discourses focusing on two specific areas, museums and aesthetics. Questions the view that by replacing stereotypic representations with purported accurate and authentic representations will fix misunderstandings regarding non-white people…

Investigates the intentions for and judgments about student artwork from the different perspectives of middle school students and their teachers through teacher-student conversations. Reveals acts of resistance and negotiation as students' ideas, preferences, judgments, and meanings interface with the instructional goals and aesthetic views of the…

Explores the evolution of a photomontage assignment in a college-level course for academically unprepared students by summarizing the original assignment and then describing the latest version after a three-year period. Believes that the current assignment promotes aesthetically rich and meaningful artwork from students and a positive shift in…

Offers a biographical account of Helen Gardner's life and work in art history. Addresses the influence her book entitled "Art through the Ages" had on art education after its first publication, discusses why the book has been in print for 70 years, and considers Gardner's role in the success of her books. (CMK)

Examines the visual memories of women over 70 years old that take place during a long life and the roles of visual culture in memory and in mental images through interview and focus groups. Indicates that older women's stories anticipate feminist issues and do not conform to traditional male models of understanding. (CMK)

Examines contexts for arts education policy in African countries. Introduces the articles in the symposium on "Arts Education Policy in Africa" in this issue of Art Education Policy Review. Addresses policies for research and dissemination, the nature and roles of the arts, and art in the schools. (CMK)

Provides background information on arts education and policy in the African context focusing on four countries: (1) Ghana; (2) Kenya; (3) Tanzania; and (4) Namibia. Introduces the articles in the symposium on "Arts Education Policy in Africa" in this issue of Art Education Policy Review. (CMK)