Expression in the Burning Light of the World by Jonathan

Expression in the Burning Light of the World by Jonathan - October 2016 Scholarship Essay

Many courses in high school are essential for certain students to succeed in their life and their career paths. But the one I would teach would be an expressions or art class. Not a ordinary art class consisting of paint, brushes, and palettes but one that covers all forms of expression. In this world, almost anything is a form of art and self-expression. Painting, drawing, poetry, literature, wood crafting, metal-smithing, and music are all forms of art. Within a full year’s worth of class, I would teach my students how to express themselves. Obviously I would not be able to force my students to express art in one aspect as everyone is different and expresses themselves in different ways. Instead, I would teach my students how to apply their expressions onto their art. I would teach what different shades and colors mean, how shapes and curves imply different things, what words produce a certain tone, and how the notes change the meaning of a musical piece. These are the things I would teach my students.
Painting and drawing are the most commonly known forms of art. In ordinary art courses, these are the main subjects. They would also be included in my course. I would teach my students how to use the colors. Unfortunately for me, I am color blind, so this area would be slightly difficult for me to instruct in. However, I can still see the tones and shades of colors. I could still teach my students what colors would represent anger, happiness, sadness, envy, greed, and various other emotions. Shades and tones would change the meaning of the art as well as lighter shades mean something entirely different than darker ones. These are all things my students would learn in order to express their emotions on canvas or sketch paper.
Like painting and drawing, literature and poetry possesses many “shades” of words of a single “color” or meaning. The shades of words are simply words that all have the same meaning but with a separate tone. Different words could express my students’ emotions properly with the correct context and meaning. Theses are the ways I would teach my students in the art of literature and poetry. Whether the tone needs to be a specific kind of emotion or not, there are certain words that would display it properly and students everywhere should know how to use words to get their direct point across. This is what words can do for students in art.
Wood shop and metal-smithing are examples of sculpture art, three dimensional metaphors for displaying ideas. The shapes of the art, the texture, and the degree of the curves and corners all hold significant meaning when expressing an idea. The simple lines that were thought only to cast a shadow to add physical character possess a significant ideal of the artist. Similar to painting, sculpture art receives much of its meaning from the tones of colors or lack thereof. The shades and shadows that lines and indents cast all display significant meaning and students need to know how they work to express their ideas completely. Sculpture is another option for students to express themselves.
Music is very elegant form of art that nearly every person uses to fall into their own world of expression. Most simply listen to works already created by current or past artists, composers, and musicians. In my class, I would teach the art of music in a way for students to develop their own style and voice in sound. Sound tones and pitches all hold significant meanings that are different with different combinations. The variation of the types of instruments also express an entire category of emotions and ideas within an orchestra or band. The combination of instruments in music groups or the pattern of notes and musical tones for individuals all in some way hold significant meaning when displaying an idea. My students would learn which notes would produce their ideas completely.
If the roles were reversed, I would teach students the arts course, consisting of as many arts as I am able to teach them. I would teach my students how to uses all forms of expression so that they may pick the one that suits their character more and use that to express themselves. This world holds many difficulties for students, not only in the United States, but in the rest of the world. Students need a way to express themselves outwardly and release their emotions in a safe way. Art is defined as the expression of imagination, meaning that it is the way people can safely share what they are thinking to the world openly and discreetly. Art would help students deal with the stress and pressure to perform in college, careers, competition, and life in general.