Creative and Mental Growth

During my course of studies as an Art Therapist, Lowenfeld's work was sited many times. For some reason, I never read this book. His work in how we develop creatively, and the benefits of supporting creative activities and development are beautifully laid out and powerfully stated. This would be a wonderful book for our national leaders to read as they wrestle with restructuring our educational system. We can either continue to train kids as food for the corporate profit mills, or we can educate them to think for themselves, problem solve, and find relationships, context, and meaning in what they learn and do. This complex world demands complex thinking, and that starts with how you put materials together, what happens when you make "mistakes", when you try the unexpected, and when you are allowed to follow a thread that was not envisioned by the text book. This is a way of viewing children, art making, and the creative process that will enrich anyone who reads it.

I bought this book almost 40 years ago. I was surprised and pleased to see that it is still "thee" book. Everytime I get stuck for help, I go to this book. Now I am planning courses to teach pre-school teachers in Japan. "Thee" book is open once more. Any chance it is available in Japanese? Thanks Lowenfeld and Brittain!!!

As I finish my final weeks as an art education major, I have tried to complete a reference guide for some of my friends that I will be leaving behind in my department. Other than books by Dr. George Szekely, Viktor Lowenfeld's book "Creative and Mental Growth" stands as the 'bible' for the educator, period. Art isn't "frill" or "elective classes" to children, it is the way of life. Without the understanding of how children view their world and how it does bend toward creative expression, a teacher is simply stumbling around in the darkness. In this stumbling a teacher may find a light switch from time to time. However, join the rest of us with the "torch" of post-modern education with Mr. Lowenfeld's book.

This was one of the few required texts in my art ed classes that I did not sell back at the end of the term, and the only text which i still refer to 10 years after graduation. It contains valueable information for any educator who wants to ensure the creative growth of their students. It also includes a wonderful chart of children's artistic development. I've highly recomended it to every student teacher I have trained.