Connecting through Art and Folk Art

Cilau is a Huichol artist from Mexico who is transforming the artistic traditions of his people through yarn and bead paintings. He'll be visiting our Folk Art Extravaganza again this July in Santa Fe.  You'll notice the use of symmetrical and radial balance in his work. Photo by Bill Yarborough

At state and national art education conferences, I always peruse the commercial exhibits, especially looking for new products or resources. One time, I was looking at a display of large art reproductions that featured images of artworks that had interdisciplinary connections between art and math. As a teacher passed by and glanced at the posters, I heard her say, “I don’t teach math!” My immediate thought was, “You may not know it, but yes, you do!”

Teaching art through an interdisciplinary approach has always made the most sense to me. Any concept, big idea, or subject can be viewed through the lens of artworks that express it. For example, in the case of math, art teachers certainly teach about symmetrical and radial balance, geometric shapes and forms, and pattern and repetition. These art/math concepts can be represented by artworks that feature them, such as work by M.C. Escher, Victor Vasarely, Medieval stained glass rose windows, and anonymous Amish quilters (not necessarily in that order). If the art teacher knows and uses the same math vocabulary that is used in the classroom, learning in both art and math is benefited.

Art is central in such a curriculum and serves as a bridge that unites and connects content areas in logical, meaningful, and engaging ways. Such an approach encourages students to create, investigate, appreciate, and question art in ways that develop and hone critical thinking skills that naturally cross-curricular borders. To implement a meaningful art-based and interdisciplinary curriculum, it is essential to uphold art as central to learning. The fundamental aim of an interdisciplinary curriculum is substantive, measurable learning experiences in and through art.

The new National Core Arts Standards for Visual Arts, available at http://nccas.wikispaces.com/, though voluntary, meet this high standard. Connecting is included as one of the artistic processes, along with Creating, Presenting, and Responding. Connecting is conceived as embedded in these other processes that define and organize the link between the art and the learner.

“Nancy Walkup and Stevie Mack with Agustin Cruz Prudencio. We first met him and his family at the Santa Fe Folk Art Market and were delighted to reconnect with them last October at their home in Oaxaca, Mexico. The connections made through such events at the Market have changed the lives of many such artisans for the better.”  Photo by Bill Yarborough

Meaningful, heartfelt connections can also be made across cultures at events and celebrations such as the International Folk Art Market, which takes place every July in Santa Fe, New Mexico. In this marketplace, which annually draws together some of the best folk artists from around the world, it is easy to see and experience the connections we all share as human beings.

This summer will be the 11^th year for the Market and SchoolArts has been there for every one. Each year we welcome back folk artists we have come to know and treasure. We look forward to connecting with them again this year in our SchoolArts/CRIZMAC Folk Art Extravaganza. If you would like to connect with us, learn more about our seminars at http://www.crizmac.com/travel.cfm.

Naina and Surendar, our quilting friends from Pakistan with their sponsor Tricia Stoddard and Nancy Walkup. They'll be back for our Folk Art Extravaganza as well. Photo by Bill Yarborough

The Santa Fe International Folk Art Market is nonprofit organization that provides a venue for master traditional artists to display, demonstrate and sell their work. By providing opportunities for folk artists to succeed in the global marketplace, the Market creates economic empowerment and improves the quality of life in communities where folk artists live.

It is now the largest international folk art market in the world, and its success led to Santa Fe’s designation as a UNESCO City of Folk Art, the first U.S. city named to UNESCO’s prestigious Creative Cities Network.