Ladd to explain ‘Learning to Look’ method in art

BOWLING GREEN, O.-Vivian Ladd, museum educator at the Dartmouth College Hood Museum of Art, will give an hourlong talk on Oct. 28 to teach Bowling Green State University students how to analyze art, using the "Learning to Look" methodology.

Her talk, at 5 p.m. in 204 Fine Arts Center, is free and open to the public. It is part of the School of Art's ARTalks series.

Ladd will discuss how the "Learning to Look" system provides art students with a simple process for thinking critically about their own work.

Developed by Ladd and fellow curators at the Hood Museum, the methodology was originally developed to help K-12 teachers engage students in conversations about art objects, but the program expanded, and they now teach this five-step process to children, college students, teachers and other visitors to the museum.

"I am hopeful that learning this method will help art educators feel more comfortable integrating art appreciation into their curriculum," Ladd said, "and will empower those less familiar with the visual arts to have deep and meaningful experiences with any work of art they encounter.

"Art is the greatest expression of human accomplishment. It reminds us of our capacity for beauty, for genius, for compassion," she added. "Sometimes it also reminds us of the evil we are capable of and the ugliness, drawing us in so that we must confront and acknowledge even the darkest parts of our humanity. Art is important because we need to be reminded to be better than we are. We need to try - and be inspired to try - to achieve the best we can for ourselves, and for others."