Warning: Do not read this is.

Exhibit A: The student who thinks they know everything.

I've got one of those, who isn't even in the class. Its nice to have her do the menial labor tasks a teacher shouldn't really have to do. But I don't need her to grade the artwork she isn't qualified to grade. She give the girly-glitter art A's and the creative, out of the box, excellent art C's.

I was photographing artwork done by my elementary students on one occasion-- putting the exciting things in a pile, and the stereotypical things in a pile. I had an onlooker. She said in a pretty irritated tone, "You like all the bad art."

I thought, in a pretty irritated tone, "You people who think art is entirely subjective. I have spent thousands of dollars, and millions of hours studying this, I think I know what I'm doing."

What outsiders forget to realize is that an art person realizes that almost every other type of person judges art based upon a personal, subjective value system, they have yet to define...for anyone.

"Ugh. That's awful," they say.

"Why?" I inquire.

"It just is," they reply.

It is my profession to know how to evaluate art--especially art created by young people--in an objective manner.

This does not mean my initial reaction to art is not, "Wow! I like it," or "Man, this is trash." However, I am able to recognize these responses as the verbal product of a physiological aesthetic experience, rather than a sound critical analysis. Both have their place. In education (and the rest of life), one is more relevant than the other.

Its OK for you to have an opinion, if you realize that yours is NOT educated.

...

It is my second profession to go on dates where I am coerced into discussing art with individuals who have the same codified remarks: "I could do that" "That is NOT art" "Modern art is ugly"

Yes, modern art is ugly. However, you do not have the right to say it, unless you have a sound argument to justify your discovery, and it is indeed a discovery--not a bland anecdote you've picked up at a side show and thought to pass along. My usual response is, "I hate art. How about that game last Friday?"

(Now for my nicer side)

Its interesting to me, that I spend my days thrilled by the discoveries made by students in my classes, and my nights ranting about the surplus of stupid people who talk about art.

Why would I invest my time teaching it, if I didn't want anyone talking about it?

(Now for my other side...again)

It all comes back to exhibit A. If stupid people knew they were ignorant they wouldn't be on my nerves. In fact, I'd spend my evenings raving about the interesting questions for which the average Joe had desired answers.

Moral: If you want to impress me, ask me what I have to offer specific to my field. If you want to drive me crazy, tell me what you think I should already know about it.