Revolutionizing Creativity: Unleashing the Future of Art

Judy Bruce

During my years teaching art in junior high, I often encountered the disparity between the talents of gifted student artists and the criticisms from their math and language arts teachers. These educators frequently expressed frustration over what they perceived as poor math skills and inadequate spelling among these creative individuals. Such negative feedback always took me by surprise, especially when I learned about the artistic potential these students possessed.

In the 1970s, I discovered Betty Edwards’s groundbreaking work, “Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain.” Her insights led me to purchase additional copies for the parents of my art students. Many mothers were deeply moved upon reading it, as it finally provided an explanation for how their children’s minds operated, affirming their creative strengths despite criticisms from core subject teachers.

Edwards, an artist and educator, built upon research by Roger Sperry in the 1960s, which highlighted the two distinct modes of human thinking: the analytical, verbal processing of the left hemisphere and the intuitive, visual thinking of the right hemisphere. Our educational system predominantly emphasizes left-brained learning, often overlooking the significance of right-brained capabilities.

By concentrating on drawing, Edwards emphasizes the right side of the brain, which is characterized by non-verbal, holistic, and intuitive thought processes. Both hemispheres play vital roles in fostering a well-rounded and successful life, and it is possible to enhance both modes of thinking.

To experience a shift to right-brain thinking, consider this exercise: try drawing a familiar artwork upside down. This technique reveals how our perception changes with orientation. Spend approximately forty minutes using a pencil to recreate a piece by Leonardo da Vinci. The contrast in your results when switching from right-side up to upside down is likely to astonish you. Embrace the challenge!

In the upcoming column, Sue Kern Fleisher will discuss the Sonoran Arts League’s annual initiative, presenting Incentive Bags to over 100 local young artists, emphasizing the importance of creativity with the motto, “You Gotta Have Art!”