The Best General Art Education Blogs

Are you a teacher or homeschooler in search of the best art education blogs?

Long before I was a parent, I was an art teacher. I taught elementary and middle school art, and then moved into the field of museum education which is where I was right before TinkerLab began. While many of you are parents like me, I know that a fair number of our readers are also homeschoolers and/or educators. Because I love this stuff, and I know that many of you do too, I compiled this growing list of the best art education blogs.

Like all lists, this one is only as comprehensive as my research and doesn’t take brand new blogs into account. Also, this list does not include too many parenting blogs that bridge over to arts education. Everything included here caters almost exclusively to educators or families of the children in these educator’s care.

If you have a favorite art education blog that’s not included here, will you let me know in a comment? You’ll see that the list is light on middle school and high school blogs. Please send me your favorites! You’ll also want to pin this page because I’m sure to add more links as I find them. Well, that, and this list of 20 blogs will be handy when you need a bit of art education inspiration

Elementary Art Education Blogs

Art for Small Hands Julie Voigt has taught art for over twenty-five years in Montessori schools. Each lesson plan is self-contained with all the information needed to complete the project: the target age; the key concepts to be learned; the materials needed; helpful notes to avoid pitfalls; and some anticipated conversations you may have with your young artists as they are working.

Elmwood Art This choice-based arts education blog (a.k.a. TAB, Teaching for Artistic Behavior) from Hopkinton, MA is delightful and smart!

Art with Mr. E Ted Daniel Edinger is an elementary art teacher in Nashville. He was named the 2011-2012 Tennessee State Elementary Art Teacher of the Year.

Deep Space Sparkle Founded by Patty Palmer of Goleta, CA, this beautifully designed site is a wealth of well-organized information.

Thomas Elementary Art Take a peek at the projects that students in Dublin, OH are working on.

Mrs. Knight’s Smartest Artists A peek into the busy art room of Hope Knight, art teacher and the K-5 artists at Dolvin Elementary School, Johns Creek, Georgia, USA

Organized Chaos Creating and teaching art requires a sense of humor and an understanding of organized chaos – as there is no way to create something original without spreading out supplies and getting a little messy.

Art Teacher Adventures Katie Morris is a K-6 Art Teacher in two public schools and is currently exploring choice-based art education.

Polka Dot Spot Written by an art teacher in Green Bay, WI.

The Best General Art Education Blogs

School Arts Room Written by the editor of SchoolArts Magazine, this well-organized site offers timely art news; entertaining or thought-provoking artists, ideas, stories, and issues; professional opportunities for you; and project and lesson ideas and exhibition possibilities for your students.

TinkerLab. I know, I have to give my little slice of the art education world a small shout-out. If you’re here, reading this post, chances are that you’ll enjoy more of the resources you’ll find here.

Teaching for Artistic Behavior Also known as TAB, teaching for artistic behavior is a nationally recognized choice-based art education approach to teaching art. Choice-based art education regards students as artists and offers them real choices for responding to their own ideas and interests through the making of art.  This site shows you how.

Transition to Choice Based Art Education Clyde Gaw, author of the Indiana Art Education Advocacy Action Blog, also writes this reflective blog on the relevance of student-directed art education.

Art Teachers Hate Glitter This is not your typical art teacher blog. This is a humor site.

The Art of Education  Ridiculously Relevant Professional Development for Art Teachers

Preschool Art Education Blogs

Teach Preschool While not solely art-focuessed, this blog by Deborah Stewart holds art at the root of many of its lessons and provocations. One of my favorite sites, hands-down.

The Artful Parent This blog is written with the parent in mind, but Jean Van’t Hul’s audience includes MANY educators. This blog is legendary, and the author has  also written books on making art at home with kids. Tons of good ideas.

Meri Cherry Meri Cherry (that’s her name – so rad!) is a Reggio arts educator, and her blog focusses on the arts at the preschool and early elementary level.

Art Bar Blog Written from the perspective of graphic designer and educator, Barbara Rucci, who teaches preschool and elementary children in her studio, this blog is absolutely gorgeous.

Casa Maria’s Creative Learning Zone Maria Wynne’s fanciful site is full of inspiration. As she says it, “Open your eyes to all sorts of possibilities…Discover creative ways to reuse recycled and natural materials. “Her pre-school curriculum and environment is deeply inspired by The Reggio Approach to Early Childhood Education

More Inspiring Art Education Blogs

Since this post was originally written, readers have submitted their favorite, inspiring art education sites in the comments.

Ten more inspiring Art Education Blogs

Art Education Outside the Lines  Reflections on Art Education in the home environment

The Art of Apex High School  Choice Based Education in the Art Room

Wahoo for Art Art Projects from a K-5 Art Educator

Collingswood Middle and High School Visual Art Department Art endeavors from students in Collingswood, NJ

Teach Kids Art A personal blog from Cheryl Trowbridge that’s packed with art lessons for kids of all ages

Art is Basic Lots of art lesson ideas from a Marcia Beckett, a mom and elementary art teacher

Art Teacher Directory Art is Basic (above) also has a comprehensive art teacher directory that you have to check out for a ton of art ed blogs

Say Things with Color Elementary art teacher Alia Tahvildaran’s shares hands-on and digital projects, activities, and materials tested and recommended.

Mini Matisse  Loads of great lesson ideas and tips on how to organize an art room

Deep Space Sparkle  Art lessons from an elementary art educator

Middle School Art Education Blogs

Artful Artsy Amy Amy teaches art in a Title I middle school in Georgia. She’s written some great articles on classroom management. I get LOST in this site. It’s so well-written and heartfelt. You’ll love Amy and wish she taught your child.

Studio Learning A blog by Nan Hathaway of Vermont, it chronicles choice-based projects such as sewing, painting, and felting. If you’re interested in choice-based art education, this site will inspire you.

High School Art Education Blogs

Panthers K-12  Well-organized lessons that includes a syllabus, curriculum map, lesson plans, Power Points, and rubrics.

Julia Stubbs Julia is an art and design teacher at William de Ferrers School in Essex, UK. She shares beautifully photographed images of her student work.