Summer Art Classes

AN ARTFUL LIFE: The Value Of Art EducationInToday’sWorld

Mark Nesmith Artist in Residence

This summer I had the pleasure of overseeing LMFA’s summer art program and being the in Artist in Residence. Spending our summer vacation in Longview away from Porte Neches, TX where I am a Middle School Art Teacher, was a nice change for our family. I enjoyed teaching classes for children of all ages to adults and interacting with the local art teachers. It’s been refreshing and rejuvenating to be out of my usual classroom. Over the years I learned a few things about the value of art education I’d like to share. I’ve witnessed many of these things already here this summer. Some of these aspects are self-evident on the faces of the students. Others only reveal themselves over time. All of them matter.

1) Art Education helps ALL students, not just the ones that seem naturally “artsy.” Regardless of age, skill level, socioeconomic background, ethnicity, left or right brained, or any other categorization, everyone benefits from engagement in the arts. Statistically this is seen repeatedly with improvements in math and reading test scores. Several studies have shown as much as a 22% increase in math scores over time. Anecdotally it appears as improved focus, reduced stress, and the development of interpersonal and social-emotional skills. I think this last part is of ever-increasing relevance in our modern world. So much time is spent texting and typing away at a screen every day. Art classes provide a constructive and creative manner for students to learn how to interact with others.

2) Art enriches the lives of students. Expression is a core aspect of being human. For many students, particularly pre-teens and older, art might just be what makes them want to go to school. It’s hard to teach much of anything else if they don’t want to come to school at all.

3) Art helps develop creative problem-solving skills. Unlike other subjects where questions often have one specific answer, the arts allow for a variety of outcomes. Outside of a classroom life is rarely multiple choice. Practicing the arts allows students to apply skills in an authentic manner that helps lead to the ability to cope with the unforeseen obstacles life throws at us all.

4) Studying art can help students understand how to manage constructive criticism. Working adults are often presented with criticism or suggestions for improvement throughout their careers. Art is taught through individualized and constructive criticism. This dialogue and feedback helps teach what it’s like to have someone question them, and how to express or defend their ideas.

5) Art improves focus and develops impulse control. The act of concentrating to improve one’s craft can also lead to the ability to focus closely on other things as well. Neuroscience studies have shown that training in the arts strengthens the brain’s attention system. Conversely, studies have also shown that students who have excessive “screen” time are more likely to develop ADHD and other behavioral problems. Trading hours on a phone for hours with a paintbrush or ball of clay can improve these issues and supply a sense of fulfillment.

6) Art is healthy. Research from the University of Michigan revealed that “older adults who both created art and attended arts events reported higher cognitive functioning and lower rates of both hypertension and limitations to their physical functioning than did adults who neither created nor attended art.” Research has also shown just two hours of exposure to the arts every week can improve mental health and well-being. That means art classes aren’t just for kids and can help us all become smarter, stronger, and happier throughout our lives.

7) Art WORKS! Art nourishes our souls, but it can feed families too. The nonprofit arts industry alone accounts for more than $160 BILLION in economic activity including as many as 5 million jobs. When you add in the for-profit arts related industries like design that number grows. Remember this when someone suggests funding for the arts and art education isn’t an essential expense.

8) Art is FUN! Look at the many faces seen in the LMFA classroom this summer and the joy is inescapable. Moreover, this is a joy that can continue and sustain a person throughout their lifetime.