Art teacher Barbie & Kelly: some observations. (Outside the box: point of view).

Ruth Handler's Barbie[R] doll debuted in 1959 and is now claimed to be the number-one toy of girls around the world. As such, we art educators might want to pay attention when Mattel releases its newest entry in the I CAN BE Career Series: Art Teacher[TM] Barbie[R] & Kelly[R]. What notions of our profession, of our curricula, and of ourselves do these dolls suggest? Should we be flattered, since the only other toy in the Career Series is Children's Doctor[TM] Barbie?

Together, the Entertainment Industry Foundation and Mattel launched the National Arts Education Initiative, which has as one of its projects, a pursuit of outstanding arts teachers (theatre, dance, music, visual arts), "whose talent and creativity have a lasting impact on children." In part to build awareness of this annual search, Mattel created Art Teacher Barbie. Therefore, this visual arts teacher, in a sense, represents teachers of the other arts as well.

In the store, one may choose from four art teacher Barbies: Afro-American, Asian, Caucasian, and Hispanic. The four seem to be quite alike. The hairdos, for example, are identical, but only one of the four is blonde. Interestingly, the Asian teacher has little distinction from the Caucasian one, save her hair color and her closed-lip smile as opposed to her counterpart's wider, teeth-revealing smile. On the back of the package are shown photographs of girls playing with the doll: an Afro-American with Afro-American Barbie, and so on. One hopes that the young shopper does not limit her choice to matching up her skin tone to the doll's.

When one talks of Barbie, one inevitably has to focus on wardrobe. In this case, the look is decidedly downtown chic. Barbie wears a 1970s style print skirt with salmon-colored high heels. Fashion above comfort for this educator! Her top seems to go even further back into history: a tight red belt is worn over the form-fitting yellow top and accented by a pink nylon scarf joined at the bodice, all being reminiscent of the 1950s. So Barbie's preferred look is retro chic, not arty funky, and decidedly not corporate. A former fashion industry designer, when asked to pinpoint Art Teacher Barbie's style, replied that her clothes were of an "indefinable era, but attempting to be contemporary."

Since Barbie doesn't come with some 300 elementary-level students, as would normally be the school situation, it might be inferred that this educator gives one-on-one private lessons, perhaps to augment her teacher's salary. Kelly is the accompanying student, and her skin color, by the way, suggests that teachers usually teach "their own." Too bad Mattel didn't mix and match. But then again, maybe Kelly is Barbie's offspring because the child's outfit seems to be part of a mother-and-daughter ensemble. Or is Kelly indulging in extreme heroine worship?

Barbie also comes packaged with both personal and instructional accessories. She has an oversized hairbrush, that matches perfectly with her shoes, thus assuring her that she will never suffer the embarrassment of a bad-hair day while holding the provided painting palette during lessons. Also provided are a drafting table and stool for Kelly to make "lots of pretty pictures." Ah, sweet content!

Barbie's owner is encouraged to join Kelly and have "fun!" Whereas the enclosed career booklet rightly lists some traits of artists as imaginative, curious, and liking to experiment, the provided activities and materials don't seem to encourage independent thinking. Three blank sheets of paper are meant for a rubbing activity, wherein the child selects a plastic template with a raised design (one is of Art Teacher Barbie) which she recreates while rubbing with a crayon. Let us hope that a child takes those blank sheets and creates compositions of her own design. Even more questionable is a recommended activity of filling in five contour line drawings with the supplied watercolors. Art Teacher Barbie is as retro in her lesson ideas as in her selection of clothes.

The difference in philosophy between the activities and the accompanying "I Can Be an Artist" career booklet is pronounced. The contents of the booklet are sound. It asks the toy owner to examine if she has the interest and budding talent to be an artist and "even an art teacher." Is there a hierarchy here? Traits of artists are convincingly enumerated. Career suggestions are not limited to the fine artist, but also include graphic designer, animator, illustrator, architect, set designer, jeweler, and many more. Wise advice is also given to parents about the ways to encourage a child to become an artist, including visiting galleries and learning about art history at the library. Finally, Mattel lists seven outcomes a parent might expect from nurturing creativity in their child.

One is able to take the pulse of real art teachers' views on this doll by looking at comments on ArtsEdNet. Some took pride in the recognition, some were disappointed, and most were amused. One chat room participant exclaimed, "Oh my gosh! Is that what the world thinks an art teacher looks like?" A strand of conversation was followed wherein teachers suggested items for her wardrobe and accessories before Barbie even hit the shelves. Another strand discussed Visual Culture and Barbie as icon. This led to the self-image of high school females. Whatever you think of Art Teacher Barbie, one must at least acknowledge that Mattel has prompted dialog.

Tom Schantz is a professor at Kutztown University, Kutztown, Pennsylvania.