The Autobiographical Lectures Of Some Prominent Art Educators - Review

Arts & Activities, Oct, 2001 by Iran E. Johnson, Jerome J. Hausman

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL LECTURES OF SOME PROMINENT ART EDUCATORS (2001; $27; NAEA Members $20), edited by Ralph Raunft. National Art Education Association, 1916 Association Drive, Reston, VA 20191.

Daily, thousands upon thousands of art educators work in schools at a job called "teaching art." They are immersed in the challenges of the present and, time permitting, look ahead to the future. After all, the forms of art are undergoing constant change. New media and technologies have opened wider the possibilities for what can go on under the aegis of art instruction. As important, the concepts and ideas underlying the field have been dramatically altered. With this as context, it is fascinating to look back at the people and ideas that have brought art education to its present status.

In 1972, Dr. John Michael established "Autobiographical Lectures of Outstanding Art Educators" at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio. From that point forward, outstanding art educators were invited to tell their life story as part of an annual lecture series. All lectures were video- and audio-taped so that others might learn more of the individuals whose work has shaped our field. Taken together, these lectures provide an invaluable resource of art education's history as told by many who contribute significantly to its forming.

What a thrill to read the life stories of Viktor Lowenfeld, Edwin Ziegfeld, Victor D'Amico, June K. McFee, Albert Hurwitz, Ivan Johnson, Edmund Feldman, John Michael, Laura Chapman, Eugene Grigsby, Elliot Eisner, Pearl Greenberg, and even myself, along with many others. For those seeking to understand the history of art education, these are insights and understandings that are offered in a human context. They are not dry, dispassionate accounts; they tell of the experiences of professionals who have cared deeply about the importance of art as a subject of studies in our schools, museums and community centers. --J.J.H. For information about this publication, circle No. 390 on the Reader Service Card.