| The purpose of this study was to understand the content and delivery of political art by contemporary women artists who are represented in their artistic medium; discover when and how their self-expressive art was developed; and ascertain how this information could assist students. The study explored whether these artists' political viewpoints were formulated due to life experiences or encouraged through art education classes.;The study used a qualitative, narrative inquiry research design, which allowed the researcher to learn from the participants through storytelling. In-depth interviews were conducted to reveal the stories of four practicing contemporary women artists who translate gender, culture, government, and environmental issues into their art. Each participant had a unique viewpoint that is personal in nature and is expressed as a fulfillment of themselves and others.;There were ten major themes that emerged from the study. These included cultural influences on political viewpoints, impact of government on political voice, impact of family on artistic and political voice, the emergence of self-expression through life experience, influence of art education at an early age, the return to school later in life, political voice encouraged through art education, empowerment through understanding of self and the human condition, issues of culture, and the power of art and expression.;From these themes, suggestions for art educators were identified as possible strategies to effectively employ artistic practices for teaching and learning. Learning how visual artmaking and teaching practices transform into ways of understanding self-expression in the lives of art students can impact practices in the field of art education. Understanding the stories of the four political women artists can also translate into the classroom by offering examples of successful women of diverse cultural backgrounds who have found their voices and the courage to express their ideas and beliefs. |
