Introducing new ways to see art through a different lens is important for the continued development of aspiring artists. Designing fresh and relevant curricula introduces new processes, creates exciting energy, and builds an understanding that art also occurs outside of the art room. As art educators, we engage in art in so many ways. Why not share a bit of our experiences with students?
Navigating the role of new editor-in-chief has been quite the journey, requiring me to balance my personal and professional commitments with teaching and finding my rhythm. This issue marks the end of my first season, which presents a great opportunity for reflection, to sit down with my thoughts and think about the upcoming season. I find that creating this space allows me to continue to develop an innovative and growth mindset. This leads me to dig deeper into the history of SchoolArts magazine and its past editors-in-chief and to continue the long tradition of publishing content written by art educators in America’s longest-running art education magazine.
Innovation is our last theme for the 2024–2025 volume year. To innovate is to welcome change. Embracing challenges, curiosity, and creative risk-taking further increases student engagement by disrupting the everyday norm with excitement, open-mindedness, and willingness to try new ideas. How we interpret the idea of innovation varies based on our teaching practice, experiences, and comfort level.
In this issue, you will be introduced to how diverse this theme is and how it resonates with art educators. Authors share a bit of what they do with their students in and outside the art room, the curriculum they design, and the impact of those experiences.
In the elementary lesson “When Bookshelves Come Alive” (p. 15), Leigh Drake introduces her class to installation art. Students learn how to turn the mundane into a thing of beauty by using everyday objects to create illuminating dioramas.
Annemarie Baldauf’s middle-school lesson “Portraits in Three Dimensions” (p. 22) challenges traditional portraiture by combining the art of 3D printing, student trust, and camaraderie. Each piece is adorned with personal aesthetics that showcase identity and authenticity.
At the high-school level, Gregg Stevens’s “Eco Art: Fostering Environmental Advocacy” (p. 18) encourages students to tap into nature as a springboard for creating new works. Students gain an environmental awareness and build connections to the world they live in.
Introducing new ways to see art through a different lens is important for the continued development of aspiring artists. Designing fresh and relevant curricula introduces new processes, creates exciting energy, and builds an understanding that art also occurs outside of the art room. As art educators, we engage in art in so many ways. Why not share a bit of our experiences with students?
Art teachers share new and exciting art-making experiences in and outside the art room. Young students collaborate to paint a hanging cardboard butterfly installation, elementary students use everyday objects to create illuminating bookshelf dioramas, middle-school students use 3D-scanning technology to print lifelike portraits, high-school students address contemporary issues while creating in an outdoor classroom, and more.
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