Editor's note - content review in this issue

Arts & Activities, Nov, 2002 by Maryellen Bridge

From traditional ("Multipurpose Monoprints," page 22 and "Printmaking: It's Elementary!" page 42), to what might be considered a little offbeat ("Save That Gadget," page 38 and "Bloomin' Color Celery Prints," page 40), we have printmaking projects that will excite your students and help you achieve learning objectives that tie in with national visual art standards. Are you curious about the gadgets and celery? Well, you'll just have to read these stories and experience for yourself how everday items--and a common vegetable--can be used to create art!

A close relative to printmaking--scratchboard--is our other emphasis this issue. The eye-catching artwork on our cover is only one of the animals that prowled the art room at South El Monte High School, while talented young artists created "Showstopping Scratchboards." You, too, can turn your classroom into a wild kingdom; turn to page 20 and read how. Insects serve as inspiration in "Swarm" (page 44), a project that shows how this medium can be used to teach a number of design principles: movement, balance, rhythm and contrast to be exact. And, a human skeleton and assorted bones are used as the models in "High Contrast" (page 25). Nature often provides the most intriguing subject matter. These three articles certainly back up this premise.

"Learning from Exhibitions: Gerald Leslie Brockhurst ... Etchings from the W. P. Brumfield Memorial Collection" (page 33) shows how refined and exquisite the art of etching can be. At first glance, Brockhurst's work may look like aquatints or mezzotints. But, these are indeed etchings done "line by line, dot by dot." This feature story and its eight accompanying reproductions provide an excellent introduction to an extraordinary artist, as well as a bridge between scratchboard and printmaking. After viewing Brockhurst's etchings, your students will be inspired to loftier heights in their own work.

Not only is Faith Ringgold's lithograph, "Under a Blood Red Sky," a vivid, meaningful piece of art, it also serves to take students on an educational journey through the Underground Railroad, Buddhist "thangkas," women in the arts, reading and the rhythms of jazz music. Turn to "Art Across The Curriculum: Letting Go" (page 26), and you and your students will start on your way.

There are also other "Items of Interest" this month. First, "On the Art Career Track: Create a Logo" (page 45), prompts kids to think about how graphic art influences us, and allows them to investigate a possible career choice. And, second, artist Wayne Theibaud provides the common ground for a tasty "art exchange" between two schools, and results in some rather scrumptious-looking goodies. Check out "Hungry for Art" (page 46), but be prepared for your mouth to water!

Traditional or offbeat--take your pick. There is plenty to choose from among the art-teaching ideas presented this month in Arts & Activities. Let imaginations prowl the art room and see how creatively wild your students can be. The artistic animal within them longs to get out--and it's up to you to open the cage.

Maryellen Bridge, Editor in Chief