In this case study, I explored the relationship between metaphor, art, and crosscultural understanding as a means of determining the pedagogical significance of visual metaphor for art education. Specifically, I investigated how the use of visual metaphor facilitated preservice teachers' artistic and intercultural understandings. I also examined how these teachers incorporated metaphorical thinking to construct personal meanings as well as reflections about their own art making processes.; A naturalistic inquiry methodology was used and data was collected through interviews, observations, and examination of artifacts and documents. The research site was an art methods class for preservice elementary teachers. The pilot study was conducted in the Fall Semester of 1999 and the formal study was conducted in the Spring Semester of 2000.; Findings revealed that the preservice teachers viewed metaphor in terms of three roles. First, metaphor as a way of knowing and understanding; second, metaphor as a process of meaning making; and the third, metaphor as a mode of communication. Two major themes emerged in terms of how the preservice teachers' conceptualized metaphorical thinking processes; first, metaphor as a tool and second, metaphor as a lens. In addition, I explored the nature of relationships between a tool and a lens in terms of a metamorphosis of metaphor.; Implications and recommendations for practice and research in art education include considering pedagogy of metaphor, metaphor as a partner with postmodern and feminist thinking, metaphor for a subject integration, intercultural understanding, and a catalyst for art appreciation.
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