Can art ever be just a visual image or does art always invoke feelings in our minds.. I recently attended a workshop by people who were from the National Gallery in Edinburgh.  The purpose of the workshop was to promote an art competition in local schools.. I could not help thinking that art is always seen as a competitive activity and this is reinforced in schools.  This is fair enough because as one has to be the best to survive in the art world.  However Professor John Balladacci suggests that we should be de- schooling the teaching of art.  This may mean unlearning from past experiences.  He quoted Hagel who said"Thinking is always the negation of what we have before us. I understand that may mean that not all thinking is helpful - that is very true. However in learning and teaching we have to have a fresh approach with an open mind.  This may be hard to reproduce in a school environment when good grades are needed in all subjects and certain time limits are put in place along with space and material restrictions.  This process may stifle creativity and that seems to be the dilemma for most Artist teachers.

My favourite artist right now is Banksy - because his canvas is usually a wall and his work is able to be understood by most people and yes his work makes a statement. His work is meaningful to me and many others.