Those who teach art in schools are seldom qualified to teach core subjects as well, and in the event of budget cuts, they are often the ones who find it harder to get a job or keep their existing jobs.  The real focus should be on the students served by a district or state, though — and if that were the case, then the arts teachers would not be the ones getting cut each time there was a budgetary shortfall.  School systems are just going to have to decide at some point where the priority should be placed when money is so tight that some programs face the risk of being cut or put on the back burner.  There are places outside curriculum for making such cuts and most of the time, they could be made in administrative costs.  Central offices are usually bloated with overpaid administrators in non-principal roles who are given titles that are often created along with the jobs they hold.  A small school district in South Carolina that I know of has an entire curriculum and instruction department with no fewer than 4 department heads who earn nearly $100k per year, and each has two assistants who are paid approximately $38k annually.  That’s more than it would cost to pay 12 real teacher salaries.

So, when it comes to schools and art, the tough decision is being made about where your tax dollars go for education spending.  Have you had your say?

                          

The division between eras and genres was clear cut in this facility, divided between three separate floors and a special gallery area for visiting exhibits.  The incorporation of era specific furniture and trinkets also helped solidify each areas individuality and really set the tone for the visitor experience.  But for me, the real treat was the outdoor garden and sculpture trails that flowed from the museum itself out towards some quaint historic houses on the property that were also available for tours.  The art of gardening and landscaping is truly exhibited with class in this exhibit, with no nook lacking garnish.  The design of some of the arches and fountains was astonishing and the composition could not have been more true to historic times.

After traversing through this area, I complimented the gracious woman at the front desk on the beauty of the outdoor work and she informed me that the IMA had also recently opened an outdoor sculpture museum with an entrance just down the street.  Naturally, I had to check it out.  More modern pieces filled this garden, but the peaceful setting still allowed for a reminiscent tone over the region.  What amazed me about this garden was the number of family visitors and children that were in attendance and the involvement that those children had with the art.  They were free to climb on many of the sculptures and the interactive playground drew out their imaginations and I could hear some kids creating their own stories about the pieces, calling some modern pieces ships and they were the captains.

The museum has done some phenomenal work bringing in pieces throughout the entire facility that engage all types of patrons and keep them coming back for a new experience.  I know I have a deep appreciation for the work of this museum and will be returning the next time I venture through Indiana.

                          

Some of the most famous works of art have deep symbolism that shines brightly through the brush strokes while others aren’t so common. The most common type of symbolism is through the colors that an artist chooses. Every color has a consecutive emotion that is triggered by it. For example a combination on blues, purples, and blacks create the feeling of sadness. The blue symbolizes calmness, and black represents depression. The purple is used to blend the two together symbolizing sadness.

When colors are used as symbolism the image isn’t the important part. In those images the colors and feelings that you get from them are the important parts of the picture. While some people see nothing more than a deep blue sky others see the sadness the artist was feeling. In contrast, a red and orange picture can symbolize the anger the artist was feeling when they created that picture.

When the artist doesn’t use symbolism through the colors that they chose they can create it through the images. Some of those pictures that you look at and just can’t seem to figure out what they were thinking when they created them often have a much deeper meaning. Sometimes artist can make their symbolism stand out while others hide in in the depths of their works of art and allow viewers to search for its real meaning.

In almost every work of art there is  a purpose behind every brush stroke, color choice, and placement of objects. Artist don’t just create things because they can. They create things because they have a passion for what they create and they express that through their works. Sometimes all they want to share is a view that they saw or a memory. While other times they want you to look deep inside of the image and pull out the greater meaning.

Symbolism is one of the most important aspects of art. Without it art would be easy for everyone to create and figure out because there wouldn’t be a purpose behind the original image. The next time you look at a work of art, look deeper and see if you can uncover the symbolism that lies within.

                          

There are even different types of collages. Some collages use random things such as school pictures, or color blocks to create master images that resemble something. This idea takes a lot of time and creativity for the artist. Collage art requires you to look outside of the box and see the bigger picture of what is being created. You not only see hundreds of perfect pictures individually, you see the big picture of what can be created when you join them together in a certain way.

There are other types of collage art that take not only pictures to create other images they take a variety of pictures, colors, materials, and objects to create their final product. Many artist that think outside of the box and just can’t seem to perfect the art of painting or drawing perfect figures often turn to collage art. Collage art is one of the best ways to cover a broad range of ideas and things as well as bringing them together by a common theme.

Collage’s make great presents or personalized works of art because they can include so many things in one place. For example if you wanted to make a collage of your trip to Paris, you can create an Eiffel tower from wire, or find a sticker and place it in the middle of your canvas. Then you can add the pictures that you took while there as well as traveling to and from. Place things like airplane tickets, hotel business cards, area maps, spare money and other memorable items along side each other. When you combine all of the elements of your trip in a creative and eye appealing way it makes you remember that experience of your trip.

The idea of collage art can be carried out in almost any kind of art. From vacations to million dollar paintings collage art is one of the most creative and upcoming arts. Let your creativity run wild and try creating a collage.

                          

While those things are fine for most people because they have lost their creativity after years of being subject to the everyday wear and tear of the business life. There are still those few that are an artist at heart. For those that can’t commit their whole life to being an artist they find themselves getting involved in art in other ways.

If you are one of those people that often find yourself drawing an image that pops into your head instead of taking notes in that important meeting, you are an artist at heart. There is nothing wrong with being a business person that works hard and is productive in an office. The problem comes about when people eliminate the artist inside of them. Without it there isn’t any creativity, vision for the future, excitement… the list goes on an own.

So many people find themselves shying away from being an artist or even embracing their urge to create something out of the ordinary because they have heard the stories of the stereotypical artist and don’t fit the mold. The fact of the matter is that there is no mold for anything. Everyone of us on this earth is an individual and has something special to offer. Everyone is born with a creative imagination although it is rarely carried out into the world. For everyone that is looking for something new to try and discover art within themselves there is bound to be something that is pulling you nearer the art world.

No matter what you do, look like, or want to do in life you can be an artist at heart. Don’t let anyone influence your life decisions. If you have the drive to do something, don’t let anyone tell you you can’t succeed. Determination is one of the key ingredients to becoming successful in life and art.