The Art of Teaching and Teaching Art

By. Craig Perrier

This past weekend I visited the National Gallery of Art (NGA) in Washington D.C.  It has been two years since I have been to any museum, let alone one of my local favorites.  My choice to visit the NGA was intentional. Among its exhibitions are a permanent collection of Mark Rothko’s work.  The collection of ten pieces are beautifully displayed in room devoted to the abstract expressionist.

The timing of my visit coincided with an annual February event in our school district.  Our student art exhibition gathers selected work from high school students and then are displayed at a local university an in a digital collection.  In many ways the students’ work is equally as uplifting as the NGA inventory. 

Making sure you and your colleagues art classes are well supplied is essential.  The Educators Marketplace is a great place to find deals for a range of art based curricula and activities. In addition to the “Arts and Crafts” page found here, I have curated a “spotlight” list of five resources for art classrooms in elementary, middle, and high schools.

• Michaels: Michaels loves teachers. They make it easy to save on everything you need for the classroom, online and in store every day with their Teacher Only Discount –  Save 15% on your entire purchase Including sale items.
• Annie’s Craft Store: Save up to 30% on craft supplies like beading and jewelry kits and supplies, plastic canvas, cross-stitch, yarn & thread, fabric, and much more.
• Crayola: Like many of you, I grew up with Crayola crayons.  Now as an adult they continue to be a positive presence offering Free Coloring, Crafts & More plus creative resources for teachers.
• Arteza: We sell affordable quality arts and crafts supplies. From painting and drawing to quilting and claying, students tap into their creativity with our high grade products.  Up to 50% off.
• Blick Art Materials: Find all your art supply needs in one place! Shop more than 90,000 art supplies online, including the best selection of painting supplies, drawing supplies, and more. Teacher specific resource page can be found here.

Art classes are often subjected to the vicissitudes of budget dynamics.  So, finding ways around shortfalls can be imperative.  Regardless, supporting art programs in K-12 education is an essential part of education and should not be labeled a luxury. Without it, like life without museum visits, something big is missing.