Shannon Karol, director of education at the Speed Art Museum, guides us in exploring the emotions evoked by a painting, Othello Relating His Adventures, by Alexandre Cabenel. Naming emotions is more than a creative exercise. It also helps children develop emotional literacy – the ability to imagine how others are feeling. Students are encouraged to explore their own feelings, the feelings of those in the painting, and  the feelings of the artist.

“I Think. I See. I Feel” is a way for children to slow down and take the time to process what they’re seeing when they look at a piece of art. Students can then imagine different perspectives from their own, which helps them develop empathy.