Advocacy
The New Face of Art Education
Nicole D. Brisco and Joey Doyle
As the nation's first stan- dards-based art event, the Visual Arts Scholastic Event (VASE) is opening
1. Student research and application
vided in most high-school art programs.
2. Execution and technique
Students who have the honor
3. Use of the elements of art and prin- of attending the state event come
ciples of design
together to compete in scholarship
doors and creating opportunities for
4. Aesthetic and critical judgment
workshops, attend portfolio reviews,
art students. VASE is the brainchild of 5. Personal expression
work with master artists, and dip their
passionate art educators who believe
Each component would have a rat-
hands into almost any media of their
that high-school artists have poten-
ing scale of one to four for the student choosing. Upon returning to urban or
tial far beyond the basic juried art
interview and
rural art pro-
exhibition. They believe that students a separate scale
VASE is the brainchild of
grams, students
should be able to create art, under-
of one to four
and teachers are passionate art educators who
stand the decisions they make, and
communicate their ideas and views
for the artwork
evaluation.
able to set stan- believe that high-school artists
dards and push
on art.
The combined
their programs have potential far beyond the
scores of the
basic juried art exhibition.
into the twenty-
Inception
two sections of
first century,
When VASE first came on the scene in the evaluation give the art entry a rat- changing the face of art education as
1991, it was met with both applause
ing ranging from superior, excellent,
we know it.
and disapproval. Some art educators
average, or below average. To level the With the success of high-school
were afraid the competitive nature of playing field from the novice art stu-
VASE, a junior-high event is now
a contest would be harmful to student dent to the more advanced, the entries spreading over regions of the state.
egos and district art programs. Others are entered by division based on art
TAEA expects as much growth and
saw an opportunity to feature their
credits earned in high school.
success at this level as it did with the
more talented students in a profes-
high-school event. Elementary event
sional juried exhibition.
Continued Growth
ideas are now being tested which
Taking both sides into consid-
The foundation for VASE created a
would align this comprehensive event
eration, the Texas Art Education
dynamic concept that has continued
from elementary to high school.
Association (TAEA) created a stan-
dards-based rubric based on the Feld-
man Model of Art Criticism and the
to grow into an event that hosts more
than 20,000 students from around
the state, from regional events that
Nicole D. Brisco is a contributing editor
for SchoolArts. nbrisco@pgisd.net
Texas Education Agency’s Essential
provide workshops and student bench- Joey Doyle III is state VASE director for
Knowledge and Skills for Visual Art.
marks, to a state event that showcases the Texas Art Education Association.
The decision was made to incorporate approximately 2000 of the top pieces
jdoyle@aldine.k12.tx.us
an interview as part of the jury pro-
from across Texas. Students create
cess where student artists would dis-
works in digital media, photography,
cuss their work with a certified juror
metal, printmaking, and stone, as well www.taea.org/taea/docs/2008/2008-
based on five components:
as the many traditional media pro-
