The great artists of the last century had many goals, from trying to draw as a child draws to attempts to discover what art is. Indeed it can be said that many of the works of art in the last century where works that searched for a meaning, for a purpose, and which communicated this search to others. For this reason it can be said that the last century’s art was in many ways an attempt to discover the philosophy of art.

It can also be said that in many ways art for children follows many of these same goals, however rather then an attempt to understand art, the art created for children often attempts to understand something much more meaningful that is the children it is created for. In this way children’s art is an attempt to understand life, happiness, joy, love and family. Perhaps more importantly the creation of nursery art is and attempts to communicate the high emotions of happiness and joy. Such lofty goals may not be fully achievable for any adult, however it is for this reason, this difficulty, mixed with the pleasure such art can give to children and adults, art for children is one of the highest forms of art there is. Make no mistake, nursery art no matter how cute or seemingly trivial is still art, great art in fact, as was proven in the last century art is what artists and society feels is art. So if children and parents feel that something is art then it truly is art as surely as if the top art critiques in the world gave it rave reviews.

Yet despite the fact that the last century was in essence an attempt to prove that many things are art the art created for children was somehow left out of arts lofty world. It is perhaps because people think of art for children as wall art, décor that people grow out of, that so many within the art world look down on even the greatest works of children’s art. It is important to note however the last thousand years of art have been building towards the goal of understanding composition, not only to discover the way pictures move, but to understand what art looks good. What purpose was all this effort if not to help make art better, and so more decorative? Children’s art is merely the descendent of a long chain of great art from the Renaissance to the Deco period attempting to grace the places we live.

Further while it is true that some people grow out of cute and warm works of art not all people do, from the works of Precious Moments to those of Bergsma there have been works of cute art that many adults have found delight in. In addition should any work of art appeal strongly only to one segment it is still great art, and should be defended as such. In the case of art intended for children and in many ways their parents as well the target segment of the population is perhaps the most important because this art will shape the future rather then simply communicate the present.

By: Ty Hulse