School’s Volunteer Art Program

Re “Schools Drawing a False Picture,” Feb. 18: We, the chairs of Marengo Elementary School’s art docent program in South Pasadena, believe that Maria Ashot is “drawing a false picture” of the program. We recommend 30 minutes of biographical information and discussion (instead of her 90 minutes of lecture), and 45 minutes to an hour for hands-on art experience, which is essential to the children’s understanding (not “doodling for five minutes”). Ashot claims she was never told who determined the curriculum, but our names and numbers are printed on every handout.

As involved volunteers, we are well aware that California public schools have no money for art, which is why we started the program three years ago--to expose and enrich, not teach 600 students to become great artists. Yet parents have told us that the art docent program has given students new self-confidence, skill and interest. The administration, PTA and students back the program enthusiastically. Ashot is alone in believing that the docent program is a “parody of what it could be.”

KATY KITCHENS

LAURIE HENDRICKS

South Pasadena

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Many decades ago I had a wise and wonderful art teacher who taught us that nothing in art is more damaging to a student than copying the work of another person, or even a photograph. Everyone, including the camera, sees in his or her own way.

It is most unfortunate that art instruction at South Pasadena’s Marengo Elementary School is designed to have the children draw in the style of Leonardo and other artists. For appreciation and understanding of art it is, of course, important to study the great ones. For actual creativity, however, children must be allowed and encouraged to draw what they see with their own eyes. Anything else is a travesty.

JULIE MAY

Los Angeles