Painting is poetry
that is seen
rather than felt,
and poetry is painting
that is felt
rather than seen.
Leonardo da Vinci
From this stance,
great books
are great works of art
and great writers
are great artists.
Actors can spend weeks or months
close reading a play
in order to perform it well;
to give the audience the information
they need in order for them
to make meaning from it.
When an audience watches a play
they make meaning of it
using many of
the same skills
they use if they
were to read the play.
Why then, are the arts not considered academic
when so much of the cognition
needed to create art (books included)
and to view art (reading included)
is the same as the cognition
needed to perform well academically?
I believe, in fact I know!
good arts education is academic.
Trevor (@trevorabryan)