| This thesis focuses on how visual artists investigate experiences of the landscape that transcend language and how this aesthetic inquiry can serve as a highly formative paradigm for use in secondary art education. The inclusion of the transcendental landscape and thematic unit in art education addresses the value of teaching aesthetics and interdisciplinary concepts in the secondary classroom and exposes students to contemporary art forms that explore the way we think about and experience the landscape. This thesis presents interdisciplinary connections between science, art, and aesthetics, providing engaging ways for students to learn the profound ways art has influenced innovation and artists' unique capacity to capture the phenomena and wonder of the visual world.;A brief overview of the art historical, philosophical and aesthetic concepts regarding the transcendental landscape are given to establish a history of ideas. Interdisciplinary connections between art and science and applications for art education are addressed, providing educators with clear, applicable ways to present these concepts in secondary visual art courses. The thematic unit is designed to guide secondary art teachers through meaningful ways to engage students in aesthetic and conceptual issues that deepen an understanding of art and art making. The artists represented address the transcendental landscape--ranging from sculptors of light to artists who use astronomy, the land, and the sky to convey their ideas. The studio investigations include 2-D and 3-D projects that utilize drawing, painting, multi-media sculpture, and unconventional art materials such as light, land, and sky. |
