It is a distinct pleasure to serve as the first judge for the Ohio Middle School Art Criticism Open, 2000. I am also honored to have the contest named for me. Thank you, OAEA for your thoughtfulness. Since retirement, I have grown in my conviction that art criticism (critical inquiry) should be an integral part of every student’s art education. The new contest for middle school students reinforces this belief, as it gives honor to art teachers and their students.

This year’s top winners and their teachers are as follows:
First Place - Bryan Cumminskey, student; Gina T. Judy, teacher; Indian Creek Junior High School, Mingo Junction.
Second Place – Leigh Whelpton, student; Mary E. Burns, teacher; Talawanda Middle School; Oxford.
Third Place – Jennilyn Lowe, student; Joyce Day and Lori Taylor, teachers; Cambridge Junior High School, Cambridge.
Ten Honorable Mentions Awardees were also selected, and are identified with this article.

Bryan Cumminsky, a seventh grade student, is first place winner. He wrote about Jacob Lawrence’s painting titled Cabinet Maker. Bryan shows a mature insight into the meaning of Lawrence’s painting, speculating on multiple possible interpretations. His essay accompanies this article. I heartily congratulate Bryan and his teacher Gina Judy at Indian Creek Junior High School in Mingo Junction, Ohio.

A total of 38 essays were entered by students in grades 6, 7, and 8. This is a respectable number for the first year of the contest. I anticipate that the number will increase next year, as more teachers realize the educational value for their students.

All entries were well written, to varying degrees, of course. I rated them in regard to the four traditional components of art criticism: description, analysis, interpretation, and judgement. To evaluate the essays, I developed a rating scale consisting of criteria for the components. The rating scale is reproduced with the article.

I would like to make a few observations about the student essays, and offer suggestions to teachers that might help their students strengthen their critical inquiries. The strongest feature of all essays is in the descriptions students made of the artworks. Students revealed that they are especially adept at describing the art works’ design elements.

I believe that most essays would have been stronger had they dwelt more extensively on interpretation of the art works’ meanings. In my opinion, interpreting works of art is the most important part of art criticism. Therein lies the most educational value for students.

A way to strengthen interpretations is to ask students to begin the writing process by speculating on the art work’s possible meanings. After that, students could go on to describe the works’ components that account for those meanings.

Making judgements of the work’s artistic values was also given less attention by middle school students. This is understandable since, to make judgements that go beyond personal preference, a knowledge of art styles and their relevant criteria is required. Thus, I suggest that additional instruction be provided in this area.

I congratulate all students who entered this year’s contest and encourage them to continue practicing art criticism in the art room. To all 6th and 7th graders, I say, enter the contest next year. To 8th graders, I say, enter the one for secondary students next year.

Honorable Mentions:
Tim Smith
Tara Osborne
Sara Falkoff
Sarah Sherby
Jordyn Figel
Jonathan Hufford
Jeff Willis
Joshua McGinley
Liz Karrow
Dante Beisel