Inderjit Sidhu

Dr. Ward
Art 133
08 September 2015
Art is an important part of todays society, not only because it is
expressive of imagination and ideas, but also because it an educational
platform. Artwork is particularly meaningful and helpful in young students as
it questions and analyzes the students emotions, thoughts, ideas, and
perceptions. Using art in the classroom and assigning meaning to that
artwork is very beneficial. According to Sydney Walker, author of Teaching
Meaning in Artmaking (2001), students do not produce artworks from rote
formulas or create products that have little meaningbut, instead, the
students make artworks to investigate and express ideas (p. xiv). This
concept is seen in an activity called Automatic Drawing where students were
asked to freely draw, without thinking, and then analyze what they
illustrated. This studio showed the students subconscious at work which
supports Walkers idea that art expresses the self.
Using art with youth is a great way to see the benefits of artwork.
Young children are very expressive, but an activity such as the Automatic
Drawing might prove to be too complex for them. In order for art to be
educational, the learners must be able to grasp the concepts behind it and
think in terms of reality as opposed to abstractly. A way in which to engage
children in a similar activity is to ask the children what happy is and have

them express this idea of happiness through a drawing. Art is helpful in not
only understanding the children, but also helpful for the children to connect
ideas and express them easily.
References
Walker, S. (2001). Teaching meaning in artmaking. Worchester, MA: Davis.