Ideas About Art is an intelligent, accessible introductory text for students interested in learning how to think about aesthetics.

It uses stories drawn from the experiences of individuals involved in the arts as a means of exposing readers to the philosophies, theories, and arguments that shape and drive visual art.

• An accessible, story-driven introduction to aesthetic theory and philosophy
• Prompts readers to develop independent ideas about aesthetics; this is a guide on how to think, not what to think
• Includes discussions of non-western, contemporary, and discipline-specific theories
• Examines a range of art-based dilemmas across a wide variety of disciplines — from art and design and law to visual and museum studies

KATHLEEN K. DESMOND is Professor of Art & Design and Byler Distinguished Faculty at the University of Central Missouri. An award-winning teacher and scholar, Desmond teaches art appreciation, aesthetics, art criticism, and art theory. Her articles about contemporary art and artists and college art learning are published in Art Journal, Art Education, Aesthetics On-line, Review, Dialogue, and New Art Examiner. Past Chair of the College Art Association's Education Committee, Desmond conducted conference sessions that yielded data supporting this text.