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----- Original Message -----
From: "Julia Morrisroe" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, May 31, 2007 1:04 PM
Subject: Sahra: Teaching Drawing to Adults
> Hello Sahra,
> I find your questions quite interesting and sadly true. Most
> literature about visual perception focuses on the developing
> visual perception of the young, as if once you become an adult
> your visual understanding of the world is fixed and no further
> changes occur. That is a rather preposterous and false
> assumption. I've taught drawing at the university level for well
> over fifteen years and quite enjoy the challenge of helping people
> to see what their looking at, and then record what they are
> seeing, rather than what they think they see. Again, this is tied
> to assumptions, this time visual assumptions. The challenge that
> you are looking at, teaching drawing, teaching visual
> understanding, connects to that age-old question, can art be
> taught. Although I may struggle with the "Art" with a capital 'A"
> portion of the question, I couldn't possibly teach if I didn't
> believe that it could be taught. One issue that I think is
> crucial to your query is what to do with the ability to render?
> Yes it is important for students to be able to draw
> observationally, but the bigger question I believe that needs to
> be addressed along with that skill acquisition, is what do I do
> with this skill, and how does it further my goals as an artist?
>
> Some reading that may be useful:
> Arnheims, Art and Visual Perception
> Dewey?s Art as Experience
> Ruskins The Elements of Drawing
>
> Notice that these books are about thinking about art, that may be
> the substantive change that occurs in the literature, that when we
> become adults we ponder.
>
> You?ve chosen an interesting can of worms to investigate and I
> wish you the best with it. Please share the results of your
> research when its ready.
> Julia Morrisroe
>
>
>
> Julia Morrisroe
> Assistant Professor
> School of Art and Art History
> University of Florida
> Fine Arts Building D #237
> P O BOX 115801
> Gainesville, FL 32611-9500
> [log in to unmask]
> 352-392-0201 X238
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