Art in 3-d for elementary classes

As a visual artist I have been interested in copyright issues for forty years now. There have been many changes in copyright laws and in my own attitude towards copyright. The point of view of a struggling artist thirty or forty years ago is hard to imagine in today’s climate, and I won’t even attempt to describe it here. My son, a grad student in digital media at Georgia Tech, is currently taking a class on intellectual property and we have had some enlightening discussions that help me grok the disadvantages of big business controlling everything they can stamp a copyright mark on. In fact, my own professional artistic copyright concerns early on had to do with the possible uncompensated use of my work by someone with the means to do it on a grand scale.  My readings in this course have also been helpful. I know that as I have developed as an educator, the exceptions made for use of copyrighted material in education have been a relief. The generosity of the idea of Creative Commons ( I know there are different levels of permission…) is a little overwhelming to me. It makes me happy to see my children comfortable in a world of open sharing; I feel a little like the aborigine in “The Gods Must Be Crazy” who tried to return the glass bottle to the gods at the edge of the world. But I have come to the city and I’m riding on an escalator, holding on in amazement.

It will be possible for us all to share broadly to solve problems and to celebrate triumphs worldwide. That seems to be what is happening. To turn a phrase, it’s a good thing.