Despite the enactment of No Child Left Behind (2002), many urban school districts continue to battle the achievement gap and struggle with low literacy rates. Authentic writing instruction, a main component of literacy, is being cut in those districts that struggle most to accommodate other demands made by the nation and state. The primary purpose of this study was to determine if the use of dialogue journals in the art classroom could effectively and unobtrusively increase the amount of time students spent authentically writing. Second, journals were analyzed to see if they contained information on student interests and cultural backgrounds that could be incorporated into art instruction. This research was performed over the course of two weeks with eight English as a Second Language third graders enrolled in a low-income and racially diverse urban elementary school. While the outcomes have helped establish a motivating and easily implemented writing program that can be used in the art room, they have also positively contributed to the existing curriculum by revealing information regarding student interests and cultural backgrounds.