The Canadian Review of Art Education

Artist statement

Amy Atkinson — Mon, 12 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

This mixed-media collage was created in a process of thinking-making within a larger research-creation process to support and inspire the creative writing, A Deliberate Storying. The collage was created on a discarded semi-glossy calendar page, from a box of scraps, with a peony juxtaposed in a mixture of embroidery and used decorative paper. With the earth hanging in the clear sky of this strange hybrid landscape that rests at the bottom of a waterfall in an unknown but familiar land, the artwork serves as a metaphorical vision of the art educational experience, within Canada and internationally. Through the disruptive but soothing use of tearing, layering, cutting and stitching back together, the juxtaposition of disparate elements within the collage aims to reflect the depth and richness of the research-creation process, inviting the viewer to engage with the metaphorical and symbolic landscape of the composition.

A Deliberate Storying

Amy Atkinson — Mon, 12 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

This qualitative study explores the lived experiences of three experienced secondary Visual Arts teachers educated in Canada. Following grounded theory, interweaving qualitative in-depth interviews and research creation, the study investigates the well-being of two experienced secondary teachers - one employed at a local school in Montreal and the other at an international school in Shanghai. The insights gleaned from these teacher narratives are then compared to the author's own autoethnographic reflections serving to inform the author’s art-making practice and storying. The findings reveal an imbalance in teacher satisfaction, raising concerns about teacher well-being within the secondary Visual Arts discipline in Canada.

Keywords: Art Education, Teacher Well-being, Secondary Visual Arts, Artist-Teacher, International Baccalaureate, Research Creation

Fighting Gender-Based Violence With Feminist Art Pedagogy

Annik Bilodeau, Ariane Wilson — Mon, 12 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Activist groups like No Estamos Todas (NET) leverage social media to share art memorializing feminicide victims. While analyzing NET’s social media posts for patterns in representations of victims, we noticed contributions starting in 2017 from middle schoolers in Illinois. The way these artworks focus on victims’ lives led us to explore a collaboration between NET, these students, and their teacher. Through a feminist pedagogical analysis of the project, we argue that the students engage in recognition-based gender justice. We provide guidelines for implementation and pedagogical approaches, hoping to inspire teachers to recognize students as agents of change.

Keywords: Art Teaching; Gender-Based Violence; Feminist Pedagogy

Auratic Charisma as Potential Pedagogical Authority in Art Education

Marie-Hélène Masse-Lamarche, Arianne Robichaud — Mon, 12 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

This article focuses on the art teacher’s pedagogical authority, especially in regards to its charismatic aspects, hoping to document and describe the manner in which they interpret or live it. We analyze the concept of aura put forth by Walter Benjamin as well as Erich Fromm’s concept of rational authority, to scrutinize the accounts of ten music and film teachers working in college and university institutions, accounts reported from group discussions. Findings deal with pedagogical and identity specificities associated with these particular teaching disciplines, highlighting the fluid, relational and complex nature of authority, as well as the role of charisma within the educational relationship.

Key words: Art education, Pedagogical authority, Auratic charisma.

Crafted Objects Carry Meaning

Sarah Pearson — Mon, 12 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

This article delves into the aspects which contribute to the creation of an object’s itinerary or life story. In the case for crafted objects this includes material history, maker-object relationships, and the historical narratives surrounding craft practices. The story of crochet samples is related through visual life writing and poetry, to highlight the agents active in the ‘creation’ of objects, as well as the pedagogical potential of undesirable outcomes within craft making and learning.

Keywords: Craft; Material; Human-Object Relationships; Poetry

Manifestations of Theory of Mind (ToM) in Primary School Students During Art Appreciation Sessions

Pedro Mendonça, Pr. Julie Mayrand — Mon, 12 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Theory of Mind (ToM) is the cognitive ability to understand one’s own and others’ mental states, recognizing that others have unique beliefs and perspectives. This study uniquely integrates Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) with ToM development, offering a novel approach to understanding how art appreciation can enhance cognitive and socio-emotional skills in primary school students. By examining both cognitive and affective dimensions of ToM across diverse socio-cultural contexts, this research provides a comprehensive analysis that bridges gaps in existing literature on art education and cognitive development. The findings have significant practical implications, suggesting that incorporating VTS into the curriculum can foster empathy, perspective-taking, and critical thinking, thereby contributing to a more inclusive and supportive classroom environment.

Keywords: Art Appreciation; Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS); Aesthetic Experiences; Cognitive Efficiency; Empathy; Imagination; Theory of Mind (ToM); Social and Emotional Learning.

Modelling International Collaborations in Art Education

Pam Patterson — Mon, 12 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Book response: Modelling International Collaborations in Art Education by Peter Sramek, Giselle Mira-Diaz, and Charisse Fung, Bristol, UK, Intellect & Chicago, USA, University of Chicago Press, 2024 (Hardcover), 376 pp., ISBN 9781789389258.

Keywords: Art education, online teaching, international collaboration

List of Reviewers

Managing Editor — Mon, 12 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Editorial Advisory Board

Managing Editor — Tue, 13 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Editorial

Adrienne Boulton — Mon, 12 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400