Project Principle: The environment around us is full of wonder, danger, intrigue, and inspiration. Some artists take the risk to live their artistic life bringing our attention to the world as they see it. Two such artists are American painter Georgia O'Keeffe and British sculptor Andy Goldsworthy. Their perception of their environment defines their work. By looking deep beyond the surface of the objects found around them and seeing deeper connections or possibilities, both artists bring statements about the world and culture to their audiences. The risks each artist took are much different, but the goal of the art is similar and very personal. We will look at your environment and how it shaped you and you shape it.
Discussion Questions: What mark has your environment left on you? What mark have you left on your environment? How can you make artistic marks by using your environment as a subject? Have you made decisions about your art based on your environment? What were they?
Activity 1: Watch the videos on British Sculptor and Installation artist Andy Goldsworthy (see buttons below). Take notes during the videos paying particular attention to the risks Mr. Goldsworthy takes with his art physically. Note what his artistic philosophy is when creating his constructions. What about that philosophy do you like and/or dislike?
Activity 2: In your sketchbook, generate ideas about what natural art you could make in your own back yard (in the case of not having a back yard, use a local park). What found materials and manipulations will you use? Note: your art must be temporary and not effect the environment in any negative fashion. After your sketch has been approved, create your art over the weekend, documenting every phase of the project. The following Monday, create a presentation using Power Point (or Prezi, or Google doc). E-mail the presentation (or link) to Mr. LeClair. Present your process to the class for peer critique. Rubric for Installation Presentations
Activity 3: Watch the video of American painter Georgia O'Keeffe (see button below). Take notes during the video paying close attention to her artistic choices. What risks was she taking as a painter?
Activity 4: Most people have objects that they find beautiful to the contrary cultural norm. Whatever that object is for you, create sketches in color and using compositional knowledge, fill the page with the object by focusing on a particular portion. Once you have assembled a variety of sketches and views of the object, use the in-class peer critique process to help decide on which sketch has the best composition. There will be an instructional lesson on the use of oil pastels. Once decided, you will create an oil pastel drawing on 18" x 24" paper of your object using the sketch chosen as your guide. Rubric for Oil Pastel Drawing
Bridge Activity: In the Discussion Blog (see button below), comment on the following questions: What do you risk by making a piece of art public? What are the risks to the people viewing the work? What would be the one substance/media you would never work with because it is too risky to yourself or your audience?
Discussion Questions: What mark has your environment left on you? What mark have you left on your environment? How can you make artistic marks by using your environment as a subject? Have you made decisions about your art based on your environment? What were they?
Activity 1: Watch the videos on British Sculptor and Installation artist Andy Goldsworthy (see buttons below). Take notes during the videos paying particular attention to the risks Mr. Goldsworthy takes with his art physically. Note what his artistic philosophy is when creating his constructions. What about that philosophy do you like and/or dislike?
Activity 2: In your sketchbook, generate ideas about what natural art you could make in your own back yard (in the case of not having a back yard, use a local park). What found materials and manipulations will you use? Note: your art must be temporary and not effect the environment in any negative fashion. After your sketch has been approved, create your art over the weekend, documenting every phase of the project. The following Monday, create a presentation using Power Point (or Prezi, or Google doc). E-mail the presentation (or link) to Mr. LeClair. Present your process to the class for peer critique. Rubric for Installation Presentations
Activity 3: Watch the video of American painter Georgia O'Keeffe (see button below). Take notes during the video paying close attention to her artistic choices. What risks was she taking as a painter?
Activity 4: Most people have objects that they find beautiful to the contrary cultural norm. Whatever that object is for you, create sketches in color and using compositional knowledge, fill the page with the object by focusing on a particular portion. Once you have assembled a variety of sketches and views of the object, use the in-class peer critique process to help decide on which sketch has the best composition. There will be an instructional lesson on the use of oil pastels. Once decided, you will create an oil pastel drawing on 18" x 24" paper of your object using the sketch chosen as your guide. Rubric for Oil Pastel Drawing
Bridge Activity: In the Discussion Blog (see button below), comment on the following questions: What do you risk by making a piece of art public? What are the risks to the people viewing the work? What would be the one substance/media you would never work with because it is too risky to yourself or your audience?
