Religious Art: or how to teach it.

Or attempt to teach it. Or whatever.

Last week, while incomplete, we did create and learn about a form of religious art; icons. Obviously, we can't do that again. Because it would be boring. It would be repetitive. So, how to teach religious art again in a different way.

What have I been teaching my kids? Or attempting to teach them? The motivation of art, of course! Eureka! It's the entire class in four words. Let's shorten it! MOTIVATION.


Awesome, now that we have that figured out, now that we are putting in to practice what I'm actually teaching, we can move on to how to actually do it.


Motivation can be defined as the general willingness or desire for something to do something. The motivation behind religious art is quite simply to inspire one about religion. To suddenly have the profound emotional effect on one concerning religion.

This to me is the very definition of religious art:

When I first say this picture, it grabbed me. It was in a hallway with tons of other art. In no way was it actually on display. I walked one step in front of it and turned right around. Then I stared at it. Never before had a piece of art work truly effected me like this did. It was like a punch in the gut, but not in a painful way. I had to blink back tears a little bit. It that impacting. I really don't think you can just look at this picture once and feel nothing, even if you have no religious background. It's has the ability to create an emotional impact in a split second. That to me is what all religious art, and all art in general, aspires to be. 

This is going to be the emphasis of our art class this week. How art can just sucker punch you in the tear ducts. How art can just grab your emotions just by showing you an image. Not just religious art does this, but all art. All art tries to grab you and get a profound emotional response. 

This does it:

This does it too:

This really does it:

They ALL make you stop and stare and feel. That is art. Religious art just wants to do it where religion is concerned. That is all I want to teach this class. The motivation of art in a few simple sentences. 

Other things I will be doing this class:

1. Not be making a craft of my own to help students have an idea of what we're doing. I'm just going to throw some art supplies at them. Not literally, mind you. That's violent. 
2. Not talk so much. Aspire to minimalism. 
3. Remember that my pet peeve is sending children home with wet glue.
4. Allow children way too much time than necessary so they do not feel rushed and because it is very fun to talk to the person next to you.