by Robert Zondag

You see the headline “Record Amount Paid at Auction for Painting” and can’t believe that someone actually paid $25,000,000.00 for a painting that looks like your two year old nephew drew it.

Most intellectuals consider art to be man’s highest achievements.  They comment on the artist’s attempt to create something from nothing and how the painting touches the viewer’s soul.  The average Joe, on the other hand, can find art to be unappealing or even, intimidating, especially modern art.  Admittedly most of us fall in the somewhere in between.  We know what pictures we like, but cannot understand how someone would pay so much for something we don’t find remotely beautiful.

So what is art appreciation?  Its simplest definition is being able to look at a work of art and then being able to form an opinion of the work.  Another definition of art appreciation is the having the knowledge, background, and understanding of the universal and timeless qualities that comprise all works of art.

Is art appreciation objective or subjective?  Art appreciation is subjective.  Your opinion of a painting will differ from mine because of our reactions to the work, which are filtered by our experiences, values, and understandings.  As the phrase states “beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” so is art appreciation.  We can agree on the period of time in which the painting was created and on the medium used.  However, we can always debate our reactions to the work, the historical significance of the artist or the intentions of the artist in creating the art.

What is an exercise I can to do to begin teaching art appreciation to my children?

1.    Begin with a simple exercise of having your student choose two or three pictures from an art book or the internet.  Ask them to describe the painting, drawing, or sculpture.  What do they think about it?  How does it make them feel?  What do they think the artist was trying to do achieve with the work?

2.    As discussed in one of my earlier articles, review your art history and art “movements” lesson with the student.  Can he or she remember what period of time or type of art movement the chosen pictures would fall into?

3.    Go further into the analysis of your student’s chosen works of art.  What is the subject matter?  Why do they think the subject matter was chosen by the artist?

4.    From another of my previous articles, review and analyze the composition and symmetry of the painting.  What techniques are used by the artist?  What medium (watercolor, marble, pen and ink) was used by the artist?

5.    Finally, as they say, kick it up a notch—follow up this analysis with a field trip to a museum or art gallery and take the discussion on the road.  Art is best appreciated by viewing original works of art.

As always, enjoy the process of discovery with your children.  Happy teaching!
Robert Zondag

As an artist, Robert H. Zondag has turned his passion into teaching children and adults to both create and enjoy the visual arts. He continues to act as a catalyst and consultant for administrators, educators and parents to design and assess art education programs.  As a Regional Program Director for Young Rembrandts, Robert works with various districts, community education programs, private institutions, and home educators to incorporate successful drawing courses into schools, early education programs, and summer enrichment sessions.

Robert is available for consultation with your home schooling group or to speak at state or local conventions and meetings.                        
Robert H. Zondag
Regional Program Director
Young Rembrandts
729 Summit Ave
St. Paul MN 55105
Robert.Zondag@youngrembrandts.com
http://youngrembrandts.com/emetro-wwis/
612.382.6745
651.292.1582 (fax)