We the concerned art educators of Louisiana Art Education Association publicly affirm our belief in the value of education through art. Although the following statement is not exhaustive, it should serve to illustrate the valuable contributions to more meaningful living and learning made by a sequentially developed and valid art program.

Man has always felt the need to communicate visually. His art reflected the human condition of the times in which he lived. The history of art has given us a visual record of the achievement of mankind for at least 20,000 years. Children learn from looking at art.

Creative self-expression begins naturally in the play of children as a means of interpreting their experiences. Interpreting experiences stimulates emotional, physical, and intellectual development in the following ways:

1. Perception of the environment and personal identification is required, thereby clarifying intensifying, and enlarging knowledge.

2. In the evolution and evaluation of a visual statement divergent as well as convergent thinking is stimulated.

3. Practicing the creation of visual images enables the development of mental and physical skills throughout the organizations of thoughts and design and through the manipulation of materials and tools.

Art as a discipline can and does develop knowledge, attitudes, and skills which are practical and applicable to all aspects of life regardless of future vocation.

We feel the development of this basic, unique and intrinsic form of learning should be encouraged for all children through a sequentially structured program of art experiences in the schools, K-12.

Art is not for the "talented" few.

All children are capable of making art.

Children learn through making art.