The art versus math debate

Remember the experiments we all had to study in
psychology 101, so grim that they made most of us drop out and take
up -- acting, accounting or even...painting. It
seemed like countless numbers of Rhesus monkeys
were deprived of their mothers and raised by
either cloth or wire mesh surrogates. A radio
program the other night brought it back to me.
The behavioural psychologists discovered again and
again and again that the babies were more social
if they were raised on cloth (soft fuzzy), than
wire mesh, and oddly enough much better at
socializing when raised by their own mothers.

After listening to part of a program about the important
findings of that old research I made the link between
the tragedy of the many monkeys used in that research and
the way that government institutions like schools treat
children in our "civilized societies." I have a friend who's a
public school teacher, trained in art, who can't teach
art anymore, because 'the school (in a poor area) doesn't
have the resources or time to maintain an art program.'

The Rhesus monkeys raised on metal became
violent. Children schooled without
opportunities for expression develop, low
self-esteem, a fear of creativity, and an
inability to believe that art is important.

Turns out creativity is a huge determinant in
the vitality of an economy and the safety of cities.
Richard Florida who wrote Who's Your City says
that cities rich in art activities are the most economically
and socially viable, and also the most tolerant.
Guess where he picked to live? Toronto. But
the current government and the world economic
situation could affect future generations in this
vibrant town, because education in the arts in
general is taking a back seat to what the general
public believes creates jobs -- science and math.
When in fact studies show that art and music classes
improve performance in the sciences and math.

On a lighter note here's a little
painting I've been working on tonight.
My battery was dying so I'll take another shot
of it tomorrow.
It's not quite finished but almost.
Someone said that he'd seen
crocuses in his garden,
and it snowed today.
But the crocuses made me think of
spring and weddings.

The newlyweds
acrylic on canvas
8 x 8 inches

Melinda of Melinda's Moments of Clarity says that"art and
beauty will save the world." http://melinda-momentsofclarity.blogspot.com/
It's time we artists spread the word.

Have a helping a non-artist-friend-like-art day.