Marja Nurminen
The Teaching of Drawing in Higher Arts Education - Articulating the practitioner's orientations
100516
What is the value of teaching drawing today? The medium of drawing that holds much historical significance is currently undergoing many challenges due to networked technologies.
This thesis is seeking answers to the following questions: How do the artist-teachers teach drawing? What do they want to accomplish during their teaching? Why are their means and goals justified when they teach? Who are the artist-teachers becoming when they are engaging in drawing? These different orientations: tactical, political, moral, and personal are articulated in this dissertation for demystifying the teaching of drawing. Thus, the research uncovers the tacit knowledge of artist-teachers thinking about drawing and teaching drawing.
Drawing is seen as a method for thinking. There is also a linkage between drawing and memory. The importance of research in higher arts education is emphasized. The research proposes a non-exhaustive list of six personal orientations towards drawing that can be useful when teaching or learning drawing.