Writers, performers, and artists have shown that the arts can have a significant positive effect on the lives of hospital patients, prisoners, the elderly, the disabled, the mentally ill, and others in institutional settings. This volume recounts the histories of 22 institutional and community arts programs across the country pioneering this emerging field. Consisting largely of first-hand accounts, the book recounts how the creative processes have been used to address and solve some of society's most pressing problems. Included are case studies, research, and descriptions of the wide variety of artistic, educational, and therapeutic approaches utilized by each of the 22 programs.

Through vibrant photographs and accessible text, this inviting title looks at the rich diversity of art forms in different places around the world. From decorative art forms such as basketweaving to painting, sculpture, and other visual arts, readers will understand how art is an expression of culture.

Through vibrant photographs and accessible text, this inviting title looks at the rich diversity of art forms in different places around the world. From decorative art forms such as basketweaving to painting, sculpture, and other visual arts, readers will understand how art is an expression of culture.

AcknowledgmentsIntroduction1. The Mystique of Connoisseurship2. The Universality Principle3. The Night Side of Man4. Anonymity and Timelessness5. Power Plays6. Objets d'Art and Ethnographic Artifacts7. From Signature to Pedigree8. A Case in PointAfterwordNotesReferences CitedIllustration Credits Copyright © Libri GmbH. All rights reserved.

Jill Nokes, an authority on native plants and ecological restoration, traveled across the state of Texas, seeking out residents who had transformed their yards and gardens into oases of art and exuberant personal expression. In this book, she presents their stories, told in their own words, about why they created these handmade places and what their yard art has come to mean to them and to their communities.

Writers, performers, and artists have shown that the arts can have a significant positive effect on the lives of hospital patients, prisoners, the elderly, the disabled, the mentally ill, and others in institutional settings. This volume recounts the histories of 22 institutional and community arts programs across the country pioneering this emerging field. Consisting largely of first-hand accounts, the book recounts how the creative processes have been used to address and solve some of society's most pressing problems. Included are case studies, research, and descriptions of the wide variety of artistic, educational, and therapeutic approaches utilized by each of the 22 programs.

An exploration of art focusing on faces, places and inner spaces.