Philosophy for Children: Emily’s Art
12/10/03
Allison, Siv, Liz
Is the judge qualified to judge an art contest?
-Chris: Yes, because she has the atmosphere of art in her background. But, she has to relate the drawings to the ages of the children.
-Cassy: No, because she hurt Emily’s feelings. Pictures can’t change, so the picture was the same when she wanted it to win as it was when she realized it wasn’t what she thought. Emily should have still won.
-Joseph: She is qualified. She shouldn’t have done what she did, but she’s still a good judge. She knows art very well but she’d probably judge adult art better.
-Rose: What she said wasn’t fair.
-Chris: Its okay that she did what she did…look at American Idol. Simon is always harsh when he deals with people. She has the right to say what she said.
What qualifies someone to be a judge?
-Oliver: Someone who’s seen all kinds of art and has experience. No personal feelings.
-James: They have to understand a kid’s mind, even if they don’t draw realistically, but emotionally. Personal lives should stay out of the judging.
How should a judge pick a winner?
-Jasmine: Most of the time you can pick by who has the most detail.
-Chris: Kid is not the next Picasso, there should be some detail, but the painting can’t be entirely judged on detail.
-Besarta: I disagree, I think it should be judged on detail.
-Rose: Everyone should get compliments, not just the winner.
-Liam: The time put into it shouldn’t matter. How it looks matters. It needs to look right.
-Oliver: A good judge sees effort.
-Joseph: Art is easy to Emily, she doesn’t need to put a lot of effort into it.
-Jasmine: The effort put into art is not always hard, but it should come out like it was pictured.
-Joseph: I have two things to say. 1: the judge should judge by the time period they are in because it will help to see why the art was made. 2: why are people paid so much for splattering paint?
-James: Some people put a lot of effort into scribble art.
Show picture of Starry Night
-James: art is what you want it to be.
What is the difference between something you like and what is best?
-Jasmine: Lots of people don’t think Van Gogh’s the best.
-Chris: Van Gogh was a sick-o.
-James: People who don’t like Van Gogh are idiots.
If the judge’s interpretation is different from the artist’s intention, does it matter?
-Liam: It matters because that’s what Emily wanted it to be. The judge shouldn’t have changed her mind.
-Rose: Emily felt bad, she thought she drew it wrong. So it does matter.
Do we always know the artist’s intentions?
-Joseph: no
Is it okay if the artist’s intent and a person’s interpretation is different?
-Besarta: I think so.
-Jasmine: Yes and no. Like the tea cup painting. Its hard to see what it is. The artist’s feelings might be hurt.
Were Emily’s feelings hurt?
-In Unison: yes
-Its like the picture on the cereal box of the old lady and the young lady. It’s the same picture that can be seen in two ways.
SHOW PICTURE OF THE OLD/YOUNG LADY
What was the artist’s intention?
-James: Optical Illusion
-Oliver: Intended two things. In the book only the dog was intended, not the rabbit. The artist’s intention is important.
-Besarta: It’s okay to think what you think.
What’s more important, interpretation or intention?
-Jasmine: half interpretation, half intention.
Why is the picture popular?
-Cassy: because it’s crafty.
-James: because it can be seen in different ways.
-Jasmine: It’s popular because the style is unpopular. It’s not often that pictures are two in one.
-Chris: Maybe the artist intended that whatever is seen on the outside is opposite on the inside. If the outside is the beautiful woman, the inside is an ugly old woman. But if the outside is the ugly, old woman, the inside is a beautiful, young girl.
Do we all think that was the author’s intention?
-Chris: yes
Do we know for sure?
-In Unison: no
-Jasmine: Maybe the artist didn’t want us to know who he/she was.