This book is a teacher’s manual that is designed for use with children ages 4-6 and can easily be used in a homeschool situation. Often teachers express a lack of confidence in teaching art, considering themselves untrained or untalented in this area. This curriculum was proposed exactly for this purpose: to give teachers direction in this often-intimidating subject. The lessons do not assume prior knowledge of art, so the teachers can learn the elements and principles along with the students.
Behold the Beauty is a treatment of art education from a Reformed, Calvinistic viewpoint. The lessons teach the elements of art: line, shape, texture, colour, value, and form and include instruction in putting these elements together. For each grade, there are twelve lessons, which are divided into six main subheads: Objective, Supplies, Vocabulary, Introduction, Directions and Variations. The book also includes student worksheets which can be copied.
The author, Connie Meyer, is married and the mother of four children. She has had a lifelong passion for good art and has an art education degree from Calvin College. She has led teacher seminars on art education and is a frequent author of articles in the Beacon Lights magazine, a young adult magazine.
