Lately there's been a bunch about the positive impact of art. My favorite is this one: "I've seen dancing, and that's not it!" There's also some funny (but poingant) TV commercials on the website, which I might have seen if I watched television instead of pursuing artistic and creative ventures.

I know nothing about Americans for the Arts, but I like the concept: "The less art kids get, the more it shows." When Destiny need to clean, there are three things she needs to do: get her dolls off the livingroom floor, pick up her clothes off her bedroom floor, and straighten up her 'art area.' The converse is equally true: when kids get lots of art, it shows as well. It's clear from the way that Destiny interacts with people & the world around her that she 'thinks' differently. I was allowed a lot of artistic expression when I was younger too, and look how I turned out. Okay, so art doesn't breed perfection, but it certainly produces unconsious creativity.

Have I seen kids who've missed out on art? Plenty. Have I seen adults who obviously missed out as children? Hell yes. It's nowhere near as pronounced as the commercials make it seem, but, man, it's a sad thing to see people who have lost the talent of abstract thought. Crayons and paper are so inexpensive, it's a shame. If there's anything adult ed classes demonstrate, it's that creativity can be relearned once it's been forgotten. Don't just toss your kids, siblings, or friends a pack of markers and wait for them to hand you a picture. Sit down and draw something, too. If you think your picture looks like crap, then you've got a long way to go. All art looks like crap if you don't have a creative mind.

yes, i believe in art for kids also. i also believe in music for kids. my folks <b>forced</b> me to learn how to play the clarinet. i hated them at the time for it. but as i grew, i became very involved in music, and went on to do some slight composing, and it certainly helped me in my job as an adult writing song parodies for (sorry, but it's true) clear channel (they fired me anyway). more art, more music, more kids who love life.

--skippy , 8/26/2002 12:11:16