“One of the deepest desires of the human soul is to create.” Dieter Uchdorf

Bringing Joy to Others Through Creativity

By Maryan Myres Shumway

Children with disabilities are being looked on with more respect and understanding. The faint of voice is being heard–and that brings peace to hearts, and I believe, nations.

Since I have a teenage son Elias with autism who loves art, I decided to create an experiment. What would it be like for him to teach other children and teenagers with disabilities? Would we be able to detect changes in the kids? Could he instruct and lead in a classroom setting? I knew whatever happened would be an adventure. That was about one year ago… and the experiment is ongoing.

Every Wednesday morning we load up our bags of art supplies, pick some music to play and head out to a school for disabilities here in Doha, Qatar.

Perhaps it has been one of the best experiments (or should I say “discoveries”) of my life. I have seen children, teenagers, and young adults brim with joy as they create. Behavior, focus, confidence, and awareness have increased. As my son, Elias has exclaimed, “Everyone is a lot calmer now from the beginning of the year, Mom.” As I reflect, maybe we all are a little more calm, peaceful, happy.

To watch children with disabilities develop and see their reservoir of creativity has lifted and changed me. Some of them, in the beginning, would not touch a brush, pencil, or paint. They adamantly refused. We modeled for them that twirling different colors of paint and mixing them together brought them wonder and more coordination. And better yet, to dab and press paint over paper is to excavate new joy.

To watch children and teenagers who showed no expression before becoming increasingly responsive by a simple art project has shown me how much the human spirit needs and even craves, to create. Exploring and discovering become the daily norm when we dare to create and invite others to do it too.

At the end of March 2018, we (with some other typical teenagers) put together an exhibit of the work that our students had been working on all year long. Everyone marveled at our students’ intricate compositions. They were beautifully composed and brought brightness to the room. But more than anything I will tuck in my pocket the joy of watching our students’ faces this year. To see their change of expressions and emotions bring me back again and again to the art table. As the months have gone by this school year, I have seen people permanently transform–myself included.

In the corner of my eye, I watch for the parents as they arrive with their children. Sometimes I see anguish, a shadow of exhaustion and sadness. I know the feeling. I have been in that terrain myself–waiting for some light to flicker in my path. I go over to them, sometimes with a translator, and express encouragement. I show them their child’s work and often point to how the child is absorbed and happy. I report to them that I see growth. They believe my earnest words. I detect the return of hope and cheer.

When the parents tell me their kids want to do art projects at home and they see improvement, I feel immense joy. If I could look in the rear view mirror of my own self ten years ago, I hung on every word of support anyone gave during that time about my son. I remembered the words of encouragement and would replay them in my mind when I felt a shadow coming.

As Elias and I teach art to children with disabilities, I marvel at their progress and new-found joy. Furthermore, I teach art to support the parents who are on my same autism journey. And I teach art to see my own son with autism learn to teach, love, and give hope. I glimpse a sense of awakening purpose in him too–he knowing that he is making a difference. I would say we are, in a backhand sort of way, bringing healing to different countries in this region.

Children with disabilities are being looked on with more respect and understanding. The faint of voice is being heard–and that brings peace to hearts, and I believe, nations.

Art transcends languages, skillsets, differences. As the music swirls in the air and paint begins to flow, a peace enters in the classroom. And I guess you could say we are all healing together.

To learn more about Maryan and Elias visit the Opening The Sky Blog: openingthesky.com

Caroline Robins organizes special projects for Kids & Art. She also serves as workshop manager at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital. She has worked in children’s art education for many years and has witnessed first hand the healing power of art. Caroline is also a member of San Francisco Women Artists and earned her BA (Honors) at Chelsea School of Art in London.

Kids & Art Foundation was founded in 2008 by Purvi Shah, a parent whose child was diagnosed with cancer at age three, then lost his life six years later. Her inspiration came after seeing the healing impact moments of art and creativity had on her son, Amaey, and all the members of her family while he was in treatment for cancer.

“Whether we like it or not, kids do get cancer. We might not be able to take their cancer away but we can definitely be there for them through their journey,” states Purvi Shah, Founder and Executive Director of Kids & Art Foundation.

Amaey’s artwork is now a powerful message of courage. Throughout his illness, art brought him a sense of relief and calmness. In a word, it was healing.

Other families also participated in the art projects Purvi brought into the hospital. Friendships were made, and a community of families realized they were not alone on their life changing journey.

Kids & Art is a Bay Area nonprofit that provides free art workshops to children touched by cancer and their care circle to improve their well-being during treatment, as survivors, and in bereavement. The workshops are held at UCSF Benioff Children’s hospital, Stanford Children’s hospital and unique destinations throughout the Bay Area.

Professional artists volunteer their time and are trained specifically to work with this community. Together, they use art as healing to empower, encourage, and create memorable experiences.

These artists have built a wonderful community where they connect, enrich and bring joy to the children and families. New artist volunteers are always welcome at Kids & Art. The workshops are only possible with the generous support of volunteers and donations.

The workshops provide a positive impact, turning frowns upside down, bringing bright smiles, laughter and valuable family time. Kids & Art creates a healing space, a sense of peace, and lasting memories for every family like Purvi’s who have been touched by pediatric cancer. A comment from a Kids & Art parent: “Her spirit just knows how to let loose and forget everything and just feel so happy doing something that she loves.”

Purvi hopes to see Kids & Art programs become an integrated part of the treatment plan in hospitals. Kids & Art is evidence that participation in art has the ability to change the experience of pediatric cancer for the patient and their family in positive ways, enabling them to find joy, pride and a sense of achievement. Children are given the chance to be seen as something other than a child with cancer.

As an organizer for special projects for Kids & Art I feel honored to be part of this incredible organization which makes such a difference to kids and their families who have been touched by cancer.

You Can Help Kids & Art

If you are interested to learn more about Kids & Art and want to volunteer or donate visit: kidsandart.org

Join Kids & Art on social media
Instagram: instagram.com/kidsandartorg
Facebook: facebook.com/kidsandartorg
Twitter: twitter.com/kidsandartorg
Google +: google.com/+KidsandArtOrg

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Helping our youth through art programs may be one of the most important steps we can take as individuals and as a society. Art is a valuable tool for discovering, exploring and interpreting reality. Investing in children’s art programs not only exposes the students to the benefits of the arts, they help these children succeed in all school subjects and in life.

As Nelson Mandella stated, “There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.” Art activities offer many ways to accomplish this.

Creative Memories Last A Lifetime

For a moment try to recall a creative experience in your childhood that involved producing art. It was probably filled with wonder, possibility, and anticipation. It awakened all of your senses. The sheer delight you felt when you opened your first box of crayons. The full spectrum of colors with endless possibilities… The feel and smell of the waxy sticks as you peeled back the paper… Your first finger paint experience and the giddy sensation of having paint ooze through your fingers onto the smooth, shiny paper… Can you remember the first monumental structure you created by interlocking your Lego pieces? Or the pride of having your art on public view when your parents came to visit the school?

These visceral, joyful artistic memories can last a lifetime. Most importantly for many of us, they may have been the healing glue that mended us when everything else in our lives seemed to be falling apart. They also taught us pride, self-esteem and problem-solving skills.

The Arts Instill Values

Ann P. Kahn, Former President of The National PTA once said, “The creative arts are the measure and reflection of our civilization. They offer many children an opportunity to see life with a larger perspective… The moral values we treasure are reflected in the beauty and truth that is emotionally transmitted through the arts. The arts say something about us to future generations.”

The Healing Power of ART & ARTISTS Resource Directory of Art & Healing Organizations provides nearly 100 nonprofit organizations. Many of them help children. Here are two of them.

Art Start ~ Transforming Young At-Risk Lives

In the Spring of 1991, a handful of artists got together with homeless kids to make art in New York City. Over the past twenty years, Art Start has become “an award-winning, nationally recognized model for using the creative arts to transform young, at-risk lives. Art Start kids live in city shelters, on the streets, are involved in court cases, or surviving with parents in crisis. Through Art Start’s daily creative arts workshops taking place inside some of the city’s loneliest places, at-risk youth collaborate with local teaching artists and educators who donate their time and guidance to nurture the youth’s creativity and talents.”

Art Feeds Believes “All Children Are Artists”

Art Feeds artfeeds.org that declares: “We believe all children are artists.” As part of its mission statement the organization states: “We exist to feed creative development and facilitate emotional expression in children through art and community. To do this, we provide free therapeutic art and creative education programs within schools & children’s organizations by mobilizing teams of community members to bring all forms of art into classrooms.” Art Feeds offers internships. Check the website for details.

Learning Through Art Program

“Learning Through Art” (LTA) at the Guggenheim Museum, in New York, NY,  is an art program for children that challenges students to think critically about art and ideas. Participating students examine, discuss, and create works of art which increases their knowledge and education overall. Groups of students are also taken to the Guggenheim Museum to view and discuss the exhibitions. Every year the residency culminates with an exhibition of selected student works at the Guggenheim Museum. Through these exhibitions the children are able to learn how to appreciate their own talent as well as the work of their fellow students. Read an article about this program.

Read More on The Subject of Art Programs For Children

The organizations’ websites offer ideas that will inspire you to help including making donations.

You may also be interested in reading previous articles about The Studio in A School, and The Fine Arts Center.

It was Carl Jung who reminds us, “One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings. The curriculum is so much necessary raw material, but warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the child.”

We celebrate Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Let’s declare today and every day National Children’s Day. Because, as Henry Ward Beecher reminds us, “Children are the hands by which we take hold of heaven.” Heaven on earth can be experienced when we nurture the unique innate creative spirit that dwells in every child.

What art activity can you do today with a child that will create life-long memories, expand their confidence and awareness about themselves and the world they live in?

Visit the Art & Healing Organization Resource Directory that contains more than 100 nonprofit organizations.

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We know that our future depends upon nurturing creative thinkers in every discipline. Arts education has the potential to encourage young people to bring new solutions to old problems. So, it was a great sign on July 16, when the United States Senate passed its bipartisan Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorization proposal, the Every Child Achieves Act (S. 1177), by a count of 81 to 17.  This act allows any student from any school in the nation to learn Arts Education.

How Will Art Be Taught?
Many art practitioners complain that students are often subjected to a logic based approach to teaching art and the art curriculum is focused on art theory rather than art making. The fact is they each stimulate different parts of the brain.

Practicing art is about process, about exploring, about accessing parts of your own being that can not be expressed in words. It is about learning to trust your inner world and developing and discovering your own voice. Art making is about accessing something other than the logical, visible world.

Few people will argue against integrating the arts into the school curriculum, however,  the debate is over what and how is the best way arts education is delivered to these young minds.

How will the students experience the education? How will they be judged and tested on the knowledge they acquire? How will they be evaluated on how they learn? These are tough questions that need to be thoroughly analyzed and resolved or the consequences may be dire.

Understanding How Creativity Works in the Brain
A new report from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is titled “How Creativity Works in the Brain”. This report comes after previous NEA initiatives including the NEA/Walter Reed Healing Arts Partnership.  As Bill O’Brien, NEA senior advisor to the chairman for innovation stated, “The time is ripe for bringing together artists, scientists, and educators to collaboratively confront the question of how creativity functions in the brain.”He went on to say, “Imagine the potential for our nation’s health, education, culture, and productivity if we were able to truly understand the anatomy of our ‘aha’ moments, and how they can be nurtured, optimized, and deployed.”

Arts education returning to the mainstream shows promise but it isn’t all that simple. Creativity research, discussion and collaboration among neurobiologists, artists, psychologists, and educators will help to resolve the many issues, questions and challenges that this act proposes. They must be addressed in the best interest of the children and their developing brains.

What do you think?

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To bring an instant smile to your face and warm your heart we start off your week with positive art news about kids who are doing incredible things for others in need. You’ll find out about the compassionate contributions of  Youth Art For Healing, an organization that brings art created by youth into healthcare environments, founded by Jan Papirmeister, a registered nurse and artist. You’ll also meet Ava Milukas, an adorable 8-year-old author who helps animals and children through sales of her book. While writing this article I was reminded of this quotation:

“Children are the hands by which we take hold of heaven.”
~ Henry Ward Beecher, reverend and social activist

Jan Papirmeister Establishes Youth Art For Healing
Youth Art For Healing www.youthartforhealing.org is a non-profit organization founded by Jan Papirmeister in 2012. As the Executive Director she is dedicated to working collaboratively with schools, hospitals and other healthcare organizations “to bring works of art created by youth into healthcare environments to provide a sense of comfort, inspiration and healing for patients and their loved ones, and healthcare professionals.”

Papirmeister is one of our favorite world changers. She has a background in nursing that spans several specialties including pediatrics, hospice, home health, school health and cancer care navigation. She has always been a person endowed with extraordinary empathy and spirit of generosity. As a child she donated her artwork to an environmental organization, a hospice volunteer group, and a camp for children with cancer. She followed her passion and became a  school nurse, where she showed students how to create drawings to decorate the walls of the health office. Then, as a hospital nurse she made the time to sit with patients and created art with them.

Her organization Youth Art For Healing, which is based in Bethesda, MD, provides opportunities for students “to learn about the nature of healing art, the power of art to heal, how to follow guidelines for healing art, the role of the arts in healthcare, and the value of building and strengthening community connections and spirit.” As they share their talent with those in need students become empowered in the realization that they can make a difference.

Papirmeister was awarded a Society for the Arts in Healthcare consultancy grant to bring art carts to patients and their families and staff on the oncology unit. She is also the recipient of two SCORE Awards in recognition for her humanitarian efforts through Youth Art For Healing.

This woman is a shining example of an artist and healer who uses the healing power of art to bring huge benefits to children, patients, their loved ones, healthcare providers, and the community at large. Imagine how instrumental this experience is for them for building character and confidence.

There are several ways you can help support Youth Art For Healing projects. Learn more at http://www.youthartforhealing.org

“Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.”
~ Margaret Mead, cultural anthropologist

Ava Milukas, An 8 Year Old, Raises Funds for Charities
Ava Milukas is an adorable 8-year old who started to paint when she was 4 years old. She created her first of several books when she was only 5 years old. Her most recent book is titled Ava’s Guide to Having a Perfect Life. It contains several chapters, including “Your Home,” “Friends,” “Pets,” and “Places” with her illustrations on every page, along with her handwritten text. In the “Friends” chapter, she offers this sage advice: “You should always have friends that are caring, listeners, helpful and kind.”

This softcover bound book is professionally self-published. After printing costs, 100% of the proceeds are donated to Ava’s choice of two non-profit organizations:  A Wish Come True, which grants wishes to children ages 3 through 18, who have a life-threatening illness; and the Providence Animal Rescue League, which provides “for the rescue and relief of suffering of homeless animals and perform charitable or benevolent acts for the welfare of animals.”

She serves as a positive role model for children and a reminder for us adults to recall our early childhood aspirations. It’s never too late to revitalize our dreams and make a difference in the world.

To learn more about the book and purchase copies contact Kellie Milukas, Ava’s mother, at the Bow House Studio at kelly@kellymilukas.com.

“All children are artists.
The problem is how to remain an artist once (s)he grows up.”
~ Pablo Picasso

Kids Are Heroes, Inc.
In our Positive Art News series in June I wrote about Kids Are Heroes, Inc., a non-profit organization described as “Kid power changing the world” for young entrepreneurs. It was started by Mary Margaret O’Neill in 2008 when she was only nine years old. Its mission includes: “By sharing the humanitarian efforts of hundreds of kids from all over the world who are actively making this a better planet for all of us, we empower children to effect positive change in the world, among their peers, and especially within themselves.” You can read the article here.

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One of my favorite quotes is by Nelson Mandela: “There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.” It came to mind as I found out about Adarsh Alphons, an artist and founder of ProjectArt,  an organization that brings art classes in public libraries that are near schools where art is not taught. ProjectArt’s important message is “Changing the way the world views arts education.”

Adarsh Alphons was born in India and now lives in New York City. I first learned about him from reading a wonderful article by Meghan Dunn, Associate Producer at CNN Heroes, who produces programs “about ordinary people doing extraordinary work.” As Dunn explains Alphons was “disheartened to learn that nearly three in 10 public schools lack even one full-time arts teacher. And across the country, when it comes to school budget cuts, arts programs are often among the first to go.” We have chosen Adarsh Alphons as one of our leading world changers.

“Put Paintbrushes in the Hands of Kids”
Alphons is fully aware of the many educational and emotional benefits derived from creative self-expression through art and believes, “Art is essential to a well-rounded education because it lets a child learn things that they wouldn’t learn through other fields. It’s meditative, it’s reflective, but it also involves skill and hard work.” He emphasizes,”Every child needs to have space for them to create. I decided we need to be the ones to put paintbrushes in the hands of kids.”

One Teacher Believed in Him
The life-changing experience that served to propel Alphons’ mission is explained on the ProjectArt website. “Expelled from school when he was just seven years old for drawing in class, his parents put him in a different school, and by the time he was fifteen, he was painting portraits for Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela and the Pope, all because one art teacher perceived his passion for art, encouraged his aptitude and believed in him.”

This compassionate man is now encouraging many other children and changing their lives for the better. Since 2011, ProjectArt has expanded from one branch in Harlem to a network of 12 libraries throughout the City. Through its efforts some 1,000 children have benefited from ProjectArt. They comprise three different age groups: 4-7, 8-12, and 13-17.

Exhibitions of Children’s Art
In addition to receiving art classes, at the end of each semester ProjectArt presents exhibitions in contemporary art galleries in New York City. The exhibitions give the children a sense of pride and the opportunity to talk about their artwork. As Alphons observes, “It acknowledges the hard work the child put into it. It celebrates them, and it lets them know what’s possible if they chase after their dreams.”

CNN Hero Award-Winner
Alphons has received many accolades for his contributions through ProjectArt. A glance at his LinkedIn profile provides his many achievements. In addition to being chosen as a CNN Hero he has been recognized as an AmEx-Ashoka Emerging Innovator, NYC Rising Star by PAVE, a Columbia University Community Scholar, awarded the citation of ‘Hero of Education’, by NYC Councilman Robert Jackson, and as the New Yorker of the Week by NY1 News, for his work with ProjectArt.

How You Can Help
ProjectArt is a nonprofit organization with its own independent 501.c.3 status. It relies on support of individual donors and foundations. There are several ways you can help ProjectArt. The website has a page that gives specific suggestions and guidance. You can become a volunteer, make a donation in money or resources, or share your ideas on how ProjectArt can grow even larger and help more children receive the benefits of arts education.

We are grateful to heroes like Adarsh Alphons who care about children and want to bring more positive change to the world. We also applaud Meghan Dunn for producing important, positive and inspiring pieces about heroes.

Visit the ProjectArt website.

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For example, the Center for Arts Education (CAE)organized a multi-year campaign for it. Doug Israel Director of Research and Policy for CAE explained,  “After years of budget cuts, and a narrowing of curriculum at public schools across the country, urban school districts, such as New York and Chicago, are taking bold steps to expand the school day curriculum and once again invest in arts education.”

NYC Arts Education Gets A Voice and Financial Support
The New York City Comptroller released a ground-breaking report that major inequities in the delivery of arts education in city schools.  New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and the City Council agreed to a four-year $92 million investment to improve and expand arts education citywide. In public announcements he has  referred to “the spark that the arts light in students”. Most importantly he stated, “The investments we are making here won’t just help our students explore music, dance and the arts. They will help these children grow in a way that helps them succeed in school and in life.”

The initiative has led to the hiring of arts teachers in 84 city schools that were under-served in the arts. Over 120 schools have also received grants to partner with the city’s myriad arts and cultural organizations to address pressing educational priorities. They include engaging English language learners and students with special needs, as well as fostering parent engagement through the arts. Further, more than $8 million has been committed to purchase instruments and technology and to refurbish neglected arts spaces in city schools.

Chicago Adds More Arts Teachers in Public Schools
Chicago has made an equally impressive commitment. Thanks to Mayor Rahm Emanuel, the city undertook a cultural planning process and declared arts education as one of the city’s most important cultural requirements. The Mayor made a commitment to increase the number of arts teachers in Chicago Public Schools. The district’s first arts education plan was adopted by the board of education making arts a core subject and increased the dedicated minutes of weekly arts instruction in K-8. It also added professional development opportunities for arts teachers and general classroom teachers.

Further, through the work of “Ingenuity”, which is implementing the arts plan with Chicago Public Schools, arts organizations and philanthropic partners are more engaged than ever in expanding access to arts education. It has been reported that Chicago made a commitment of $10 million while the philanthropic sector has pledged $12 million towards its goal of raising $38 million. These efforts are driven to fully implement the arts plan, and ensure the arts reach every child.

Art Schools Reviving Arts Education in Spite of Criticism
Within the last several years schools in large and small districts alike in Los Angeles, Seattle and San Diego, have embarked on efforts to revive arts education opportunities. In spite of criticism from naysayers, the momentum is growing and their concerted efforts are being backed in the form of financial support.

Parents Are Speaking Up!
Proactive and pro-arts parents are serving as catalysts in transforming the education system. They are persistently making the case against increased testing in public schools. The emphasis is changing from solely academics to having a well-rounded education. Revenues for cities and school districts have been rising which leads to a redefinition of what is expected from a public school education.

Could it be that the tide is turning and that we may see arts education making a comeback?

Reports From National Endowment for the Arts
According to statements made by the National Endowment for the Arts, students who have access to the arts also tend to have better academic results overall, better workforce opportunities, and more civic engagement. And these benefits are most pronounced for students of low socioeconomic status.

It is clear to see that the many benefits of bringing arts education to schools. City mayors, school superintendents, and even the federal government, are noticing these positive results. Research has proven when the arts are added to the school day in schools that are struggling they have a positive impact.

However, as much progress is being made we must face the facts — art is not always accessible to all. Students in high poverty elementary schools are still 50 percent less likely to have access to arts and music classes.

Speak Up and Learn From Major Cities
If we believe that arts education must make a comeback we must raise our voices to encourage that the arts become more integrated in the educational system. We cannot sit back and wait for someone else to speak up. We need to observe what is working in cities like New York and Chicago and learn from what’s working. We must also recognize and asset that arts education should be an integral part of education and available to everyone regardless of location. We must also make a compelling case for the arts and creative learning as an essential part of learning.

Share The Benefits of The Arts In Your Life
One way to foster an increase in arts education is to share the many benefits you have personally received from arts education. The National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities is asking everyone to share their stories of how the arts have influenced their lives. Starting September 29, NEA will begin posting stories on its website and promoting them across its social media. Learn more.

We’re trying to do our best to advance arts education through articles like this and social media. Here are some articles on this website:

Please read and share these articles

Learning Through Art Program Increases Education Overall: http://www.healing-power-of-art.org/learning-through-art-program-for-children-improves-education-overall/

The Artistic Edge in Today’s Competitive World: http://www.healing-power-of-art.org/the-artistic-edge-in-todays-competitive-world/

Studio in a School Teaches Art to Children http://www.healing-power-of-art.org/studio-in-a-school-teaches-art-to-children/

Art Enhances Brain Function: http://www.healing-power-of-art.org/art-and-the-brain/

Quotes About The Benefits of Art: http://www.healing-power-of-art.org/benefits-of-art/

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By Michele Cohen

This inspirational article, by Michele Cohen, first appeared in the Moore College of Art & Design magazine. It is about a mother’s love for her son, her passion for teaching, her belief in the healing power of art, and her spirit of generosity. We have selected Michele Cohen as one of our favorite world changers. Thank you Michele! 

Deborah (Debi) Dunavant West, who received her Art Certification from Moore and is a former Young Artist Workshop (YAW) teacher, recently made a generous gift to Moore to establish the 2015 Croy West Art Education Scholarship benefiting a candidate for Moore’s MA in Art Education with an Emphasis in Special Populations program. Her gift honors both the memory of her son, Croy (short for “Charley Roy”), who passed away in 2008 just shy of turning 12, as well as the 22 years she has devoted to teaching art to students at both the elementary and high school levels.

West, her husband, Chuck, and her daughter Carson, 17, intend to contribute to the scholarship on an annual basis. West said it is her intention to build the fund in years to come.

“I want the money to go to an incoming student who has a passion and a love for children and the discipline of art, because if you ever lose sight as to what’s the most important thing in teaching, you lose sight of what it is to be a teacher: loving your children and loving your discipline. Everything else will fall into place.”

West knows this well. In 1990, she was working as a graphic designer in Philadelphia and teaching Sunday school to fourth-graders in Ardmore, PA. One day, she had a life-changing realization: she enjoyed teaching on Sundays more than her full time job working in graphic design.

With an undergraduate degree in Graphic Design under her belt, West decided to continue freelancing while earning her Art Certification from Moore (there was no Master’s program at the time). And she was hooked.

“When I started at Moore, learning took on a different meaning for me,” she said. “It was about how I could be the best teacher I could for my kids! How I could open an art history book and suddenly be able to design an incredibly creative curriculum for my kids! It was magical!”

She began student teaching at Friends Select School and then in YAW at Moore. “I just knew this was it. This was what I was supposed to do.”

West relocated to Georgia with her husband and earned a MA in Art Education in 1999 and an Education Specialist in Art Education degree in 2004, both from the University of Georgia. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Language and Literacy because of her interest in writing and publishing curriculum guides.

In November, 2014, West decided she wanted to donate money to a school that supports art education and special education. She learned that Moore does both.

“No one else in the nation is doing what Moore’s doing. I know my son is smiling down and saying he’s so glad I waited to find the right school,” West said.

Croy had a metabolic disease that caused a slight brain injury, giving him autistic traits.

“We are so grateful for the generosity of Debi West and her family in creating this scholarship in honor of their son, Croy,” President Cecelia Fitzgibbon said. “I was moved by how much joy Debi got from making this donation to Moore and how good she felt by making a difference in a graduate student’s future.”

West is currently the department chair of the Fine Arts and Visual Arts Department at North Gwinnet High School in Suwanee, GA, where she teaches art lessons to 190 students daily, including many children with special needs.

When her son was alive, West was always focused on special needs issues. “You can’t put these kids at a back table and ignore them,” she said. “Our teachers are ill equipped to know what to do to properly teach them. That’s why we need more programs like Moore’s. It’s essential to the field of art education.”

West is a strong advocate for arts education as the past president of the Georgia Art Education Association and the southeastern vice president for the National Art Education Association (NAEA). She lectures often about advocacy and “teacher burnout” at regional and national art conferences all across the country.

When she’s not teaching, giving lectures or advocating for the arts, West is a contributing editor for Arts and Activities magazine, where she offers fun lesson plans and the tools to teach them. An artist herself, she also does mixed media work and makes custom hand-stamped jewelry.

“Art definitely saves people. Art saved me. I’m still standing and breathing and really living with authentic joy,” she said. “Art Education is my passion, my hobby, it’s everything I do. It’s my life.”

Visit the Moore College of Art & Design http://moore.edu

About Michele Cohen

Michele Cohen is Associate Director of Communications at Moore College of Art & Design. She was Director of Communications at the Delaware College of Art & Design. Michele spent ten years as a newspaper reporter, most recently at The News Journal in Delaware, where she covered higher education, K-12 education and municipal government. She earned her BA in English/Journalism with a minor in Spanish Studies from the University of Delaware.

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Art is a valuable tool for discovering, exploring and interpreting reality. Investing in children’s art programs not only exposes the students to the benefits of the arts, they help these children succeed in all school subjects and in life.

“Learning Through Art” (LTA) at the Guggenheim Museum is an art program for children that challenges students to think critically about art and ideas. Participating students examine, discuss, and create works of art. Groups of students are also taken to the Guggenheim Museum to view and discuss the exhibitions.

LTA was founded in 1970 by Natalie K. Lieberman, a patron of the arts, in response to the elimination of art and music programs from New York City public schools. She merged the program with the Guggenheim Foundation in 1994. Since its inception, LTA has served over 100,000 students from diverse economic and cultural backgrounds in all five boroughs of New York City.

The LTA program sends experienced teaching artists into New York City public schools where they spend one day a week over a 10- or 20-week period. These artists help the students and teachers learn how to create process-oriented art projects. Collaboration methods between the artists and teachers are fully integrated in order to expand learning across the entire school curriculum.

Important programs like LTA eliminate the barriers between academic subjects and the arts and show children how to experience the world using a wide range of creative and innovative methods for self-expression.

Study Proves How Children Benefit from LTA

In 2003, LTA was awarded a grant from the U.S. Department of Education to examine the impact of the Learning Through Art program, on 500 students in the third grade from four schools in New York City. The study focused on the students’ ability to describe and interpret art, and to apply these skills to understanding written text. The study was conducted in partnership with Randi Korn and Associates from 2003–06. The primary question that guided this study was: Does looking at and making art teach students how to be better critical thinkers?

Professional evaluators examined student scores on the New York Citywide ELA test. The study found that LTA helps students become better learners and thinkers, and findings indicate that those who participated in the program performed better in all six categories of the following literacy and critical-thinking skills: extended focus; hypothesizing; providing multiple interpretations; schema-building; giving evidence; and thorough description.

A Year With Children Exhibition

Every year the residency culminates with an exhibition of selected student works at the Guggenheim Museum. Through these exhibitions the children are able to learn how to appreciate their own talent as well as the work of their fellow students.

“A Year with Children 2015” takes place May 1–June 17, 2015 and will feature 125 works of art created by students from ten elementary schools in each of the city’s five boroughs.

Learning Through Art
A Book For Children

The book Learning Through Art, written by Marilyn J.S. Goodman including art from the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, offers children a way to learn about art and apply it to explore basic subject areas such as math, science, sports, music and social studies.

The book is also a valuable resource for teachers.

Sources for this article:
Wikipedia
Guggenheim Museum website