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f some of the current school-supply catalogs are an indication of what goes on in third- or fourth-grade art classes right now, I believe the state of teaching creative thinking is facing a cruel and tacky fate. In any field of education, "what used to be" wasn't always perfect. But in the last 50 years, not much in the way of studio art-fine art-for kids has been worked into the curriculum. Every child seems to know who Vincent van Gogh was ("He cut off his ear!") or Michelangelo. But how can we graduate children who can't draw or mix colors or appreciate the poetry of modern sculpture? (Or for that matter, good poetry? But that's another story.) The relativity of art and the crafts of art are easy to teach, with a little work. But if we're handing out pre-made boats to paint or little foam frames to decorate, all we're doing is training little future factory workers. There's nothing creative involved at all. The paints are prepackaged-every color, with the instructions for assembly. Even an image to copy for your painting pleasure is included. The proliferation of these "kits" must make many overwhelmed teachers happy. But it scares the heck out of me. What a dreary activity art must seem to be to these kids. Even if by some chance the painted outcome is satisfying to the young artist, what will he do to duplicate the feeling? He would need to buy another kit! Would he know he could perhaps take an old piece of wood or cardboard and just paint on that? Could he ever find that color if he had to make it himself? Maybe it's me. I think I am a hybrid in the art world, of which there are probably many. I started with graphic art, the kind that's no longer used. We learned layout and design with TSquares and pen and ink, which had to be perfect. I was not very good! Switching to theater arts, I then spent 15 years designing and building props. For those 15 years I learned by doing, a deeply satisfying way to learn. I went from community theater to network television, and learned how to work with no budget (teachers, sound familiar?) and with excessive "throw money at the problem" and "get me two of them" budgets. And what an education it was!

I was surrounded by scenic artists who could paint a landscape the size of an auditorium wall or recreate a place in a playwright's head in perfect detail. To scale, no less! And what a revelation! They would paint with broom-size brushes or get down on all fours and use cotton swabs. They would roll on their tummies on flat trolleys to paint continuous patterns. They would climb ladders to get a look at their work. And so I learned adaptability. And the right tool for the right job, something my students hear over and over. Prop builders are magicians, something every good art teacher must also be. As an apprentice prop maker at Joe Papp's New York Shakespeare Festival and later at MRA Studio in Brooklyn, I watched model makers sculpt objects (albeit usually period objects) out of common materials from the hardware store (not the art store) every day,

On Creative Thinking in the Classroom

by Ruthann Perry painting them to look like the real thing. Lots of research goes into getting the details right. And though most props are not perfect, they must "read well" from the audience. Up close, most props are somewhat crude looking if they've been built. They have to be able to take abuse, so they're built strong. If they really get thrown around the stage a lot (think of some of Shakespeare's plays), they may be replaced fairly frequently in a run, one of the rare times prop people get to do the same thing more than once. Every prop builder learns to be a jackof-all-trades. And this was what served me so well when I began to teach art. Sometimes my job was boring, as any apprentice's will be from time to time. There were days spent painting tiny florets on set pieces or sewing little lace flowers onto pillows. Other times, magic. But every day brought something new to make, a new craft to learn. Wouldn't it be wonderful if art class was

the same? And how about a rule for art class: All those who enter here can be as messy as it takes. You are allowed to color outside the lines. Just go for it. Every teacher knows a lesson that the student takes part in is imprinted on a deeper level than one that is lectured or read about So getting them to make their own artwork is crucial. And not every kid is going to want to hear this, but the creative process has to allow for long periods of "not so good" and "adequate" before "great" comes along. Those kits the school supply companies are selling are taking away the chance for children to create something from start to finish, an unforgettable experience. At the beginning of the school year I always tell my young artists this: "The very first time young Michael Jordan picked up a basketball, or that rock musician picked up his guitar, they stunk. The second time, still bad. The third try? Maybe a basket, maybe one bar of music. The one hundredth time? Oh yeah baby. They were rockin'. "So why is art any different?" I ask. "Te first time you try to draw that still life, paint that sky or mold that clay, you're most likely going to bomb. So what? It just takes practice and patience. And once you pick up the skill, it sets you free to create whatever you can think of. The mechanics are what stop so many people from thinking they have talent. It may not be easy. But neither is learning to play the piano or play a mean game of basketball. And it could be fun. Learn the mechanics and you may surprise yourselfi." Giving students junky, mass-produced art projects so they have something to show for art class is wrong. When did art class become so resultsoriented? And on one class a week. And why: to justify the department? Maybe. Art departments are being cut everywhere. After nine years teaching elementary school art in a private school, I was told they needed my classroom for a science lab. I would be Art-on-aCart. And though I ended up leaving that school, I understood the need for hands-on science. Really. I still remember frog dissections, don't you? N Ruthann Perry is an art teacherand artist, and is the owner of MaidenheadStudio in Lawrenceville, New Jersey.

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TITLE: On Creative Thinking in the Classroom SOURCE: Arts Act 144 no2 O 2008 The magazine publisher is the copyright holder of this article and it is reproduced with permission. Further reproduction of this article in violation of the copyright is prohibited.