significant decline in arts education.

My readers may wonder how severe the decline in arts education has been. This article provides statistics on the decline: Arts Education for Minority Children Drops
By Erik W. Robelen

Math, and reading are important subjects, but it seems some educators don't understand that the arts are often what motivate students to have interest in the core subjects and often stimulate their interest in being in school in the first place.

Tell those who have no interest in the arts to get out of the way and lets the arts help fix American education. Please forgive me for being rude, but number crunchers have made a mess of things and should be sent to the corner and be provided with dunce caps. Is that an extreme thing to suggest? Perhaps it is just my own exaggerated reaction what has gone on too long in American education. Persons with hand skills have been marginalized whereas all of the early educational theorists knew the value of hands-on learning. The hands after all, are the cutting edge of the mind, and the arts are the best ways to purposefully engage the hands in learning.

Make fix and create.

I will be at home for the day, finishing the three pieces of sculpture I've been working on, and installing interior trim on windows we've had replaced in our home. I will also be reviewing finished chapters of my new book, Making Small Cabinets.

Tonight is our annual Clear Spring School benefit auction, and I've donated a walnut hall table from my torii series to be sold to the highest bidder.