Hello! My name is Eleora, and this is my first blog post. I’m so excited to be taking over for the Art Education blog!
I hope everyone is having a great summer! Since I’ve been home for break, I’ve been spending a lot of time cleaning. Which led me to come across my mom’s old art education books. Written and illustrated by Mike Venezia, the book series Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists tells the biography of notable artists through their paintings and his humorous illustrations.
Seeing these books brought back so many memories for me. When I was younger, I would flip through the pages and admire all the artwork. There were also videos that accompanied the books, which were especially helpful since this was before I could read. Unfortunately, I can’t seem to find the videos, but here is a linked video I found online for getting to know Michelangelo:
https://youtu.be/5vlVb-o0h_w?si=4dTgQcC7QzGoqp-Q
I’ll also provide a link to Mike Venezia’s website if you want to see more:
The way he uses cartoons, dialogue, and humor stuck with me all these years. As a future educator, it’s important to recognize the power of humor. Keeping the classroom lighthearted and fun makes learning way more enjoyable and engaging. And clearly, it helps the information stick. Most of what I know today about the great artists came from Mike Venezia’s books.
Anyways, I just wanted to share this as a helpful tool for anyone looking into becoming an art educator. Or even if you wanted to learn more about artists yourself.
Thanks for reading!
~Eleora