FOLK ART IN AMERICA WONDER, WHIMSY, WILD: LESSON PLAN GRADES 1-12 ON VIEW NOVEMBER 7, 2015 FEBRUARY 28, 2016

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1 WONDER, WHIMSY, WILD: FOLK ART IN AMERICA ON VIEW NOVEMBER 7, 2015 FEBRUARY 28, 2016 Drawn from the Barbara L. Gordon Collection Organized and circulated by Art Services International, Alexandria, Virginia LESSON PLAN GRADES 1-12

2 CONTENTS Exhibition Overview... 3 Goals of the Tour Experience... 3 Suggested Books... 3 Objectives Established with Bloom s Taxonomy... 4 Vocabulary... 5 Classroom Activities... 6 (Above) Bird Tree, attributed to Schtockschnitzler Simmons, c , wood with polychrome, metal wire, Courtesy of the Barbara L. Gordon Collection (Front Cover) James Mairs Salisbury, attributed to Ammi Phillips ( ), c. 1835, Oil on canvas, 32 X 27 inches, Courtesy of the Barbara L. Gordon Collection Unidentified artist, Box, , White pine, paint, and iron, 11 x 16 3/8 x9 1/4, Courtesy of the Barbara L. Gordon Collection Henry Dousa (1837-after 1903), The Farm of Henry Windle, 1875, Oil on canvas, 31 ¼ X 48 inches, Courtesy of the Barbara L. Gordon Collection

3 Exhibition Overview Wonder, Whimsy, Wild: Folk Art In America tells the story of the extraordinary work created by self-taught artists in New England, the Midwest and the Mid-Atlantic between Made by artists in rural areas, these works did not always adhere to the academic models that established artistic taste in urban centers of the East Coast. Yet, because of the large number of professional and amateur artists who created folk art in the years following the Nation s founding and the sheer quantity of art they produced folk art was the prevalent art form in the United States for more than a century. This exhibition showcases more than 60 works by some of the most admired 19th - century American artists. Goals of the Tour Experience Students will develop a greater understanding and appreciation of American folk art. Tour Objectives Students will: 1. Discover the diversity and meaning of early American portraiture 2. Identify and discuss how artists depict narrative themes 3. Understand the role of decorative arts within early American folk art Suggested Books Folk Art Counting Book by Amy Watson, ISBN [K-1st grade] Market Day: A Story Told with Folk Art by Lois Ehlert, ISBN [1-2nd grade] The New Americans: Colonial Times: by Betsy Maestro ISBN [6th- 8th grade] A Shared Legacy: Folk Art in America by Avis Berman, Richard Miller, Cynthia G. Falk, and Lisa Minardi, ISBN [9th- 12th grade] 3

4 Objectives Established with Bloom s Taxonomy The learner will Remember Understand Draw on prior knowledge to discuss the varying types of folk art and its purposes in early America. Examine art works and discuss the the three guiding goals of the tour. 1. Discover the diversity and meaning of early American portraiture 2. Identify and discuss how artists depict narrative themes 3. Understand the role of decorative arts within early American folk art Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Use new knowledge to investigate and interpret select objects in discussion, during the tour. Compare and contrast objects. Make interpretations about select works and justify the interpretations with new and prior knowledge about folk art. Using a compass, a ruler, markers, and colored paper, students will design their own Pennsylvania Dutch Hex (Hex signs are a form of Pennsylvania Dutch folk art, related to fraktur, found in the Fancy Dutch tradition in Pennsylvania Dutch Country.) Miniature Chest, unidentified artist, , basswood, iron, and paint, Courtesy of the Barbara L. Gordon Collection 4

5 Vocabulary Attribute Commercial An object that is associated with and serves to identify a character, personage, or office. For example, a crown is an attribute of a king. The buying and selling of goods or services. Community Costume Vocabulary A group of people who live in the same area, or the area in which they live. A style of dress, including clothing, accessories, and hairstyle, especially as characteristic of a particular country, period, or people. Decorative Decorative Art Folk Art Landscape Merchant Narrative Portrait Rural Sculpture Setting Symbolism Tradition Urban Utilitarian Serving merely to look attractive rather than having a functional purpose. Art concerned with the design and production of functional but decorative items for home use such as ceramics, furniture, and fabrics. Paintings and decorative objects made not using the conventional styles and techniques of trained artists, e.g. in the treatment of perspective or light and shade. An expanse of scenery of a particular type, especially as much as can be seen by the eye. A storekeeper, or one who sells goods. A story or an account of a sequence of events in the order in which they happened. An artistic representation of a specific person, a group of people, or an animal. Portraits usually show what a person looks like as well as revealing something about the subjects personality. Found in or living in the country. The creation of a three-dimensional work of art, especially by carving, modeling, or casting. The surroundings in which something or someone is set; the background. The use of symbols to invest things with a representative meaning. A long-established action or pattern of behavior in a community or group of people, often one that has been handed down from generation to generation. Relating to or belonging to a city. Designed primarily for practical use rather than beauty. 5

6 The Peaceable Kingdom with the Leopard of Serenity attributed to Edward Hicks ( ) oil on canvas Courtesy of the Barbara L. Gordon Collection Classroom Activities The following activities will prepare your students to fully explore and engage with our special exhibition Wonder, Whimsy, Wild: Folk Art in America. Many of these exercises are purposefully open ended to fit each teacher s curriculum focus and teaching style and can be done before or after your visit to the museum. ACTIVITY 1 SOCIAL STUDIES CONNECTION Folk arts are commonly practiced by most children in everyday life through neighborhood games, songs, and rhymes, as well as in celebrations that represent family traditions. For children, it is likely that the term folk arts is unfamiliar, even though the practices may be well known. Children develop a personal repertoire in the arena of folk arts through interactions with family members, classmates, and friends. It is often through games, songs, or stories, that oral traditions are passed from generation to generation. Instructions Have students document family traditions by interviewing grandparents, uncles, and aunts to find out about family history. Listen to family stories, learn about grandparents hobbies, listen to their childhood songs and games, and investigate special holidays and family events. Have students make a scrapbook that includes stories and pictures from the past. Include specific recipes for foods that are traditions in your family. Encourage students to ask a grandparent to join in this project! Resources: 6

7 Classroom Activities continued ACTIVITY 2 ENGLISH CONNECTION In 1974, as part of the Family Folklore Program of the Festival of American Folklife, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., put out a call for families to bring in their home movies and have portions of them copied for a documentary film. More than 100 families responded to the call, bringing in 16 mm and 8mm home movies, as well as photo albums. The result was the documentary, Home Movie: An American Folk Art by Ernst Star, then a student in the film department at Temple University, and Steve Zeitlin, a student in the Department of Folklore and Folklife at the University of Pennsylvania. Instructions Watch the short film Home Movie: An American Folk Art by Ernst Edward and Steven Zeitlin (19 minute color film) Found here: Have students write a paragraph about their favorite home movie and theorize why their parents or grandparents chose that moment to film. Will it contribute to their family history? Will the home movie mean more in 10, 25, 30 years? Inquire your student s opinions on why home movies are or are not a form of folk art. ACTIVITY 3 SCIENCE CONNECTION A weathervane is used to see which way the wind is blowing. A useful concept turned decorative object, the earliest weathervanes were very simple carvings of animals such as fish and roosters. Eventually, more designs began to emerge as arrows, cows, pigs and angels started to appear on rooftops all across North America. Traditionally, weathervanes were made from sheets of metal or they were carved out of wood. You can create a miniature weather vane using several techniques ranging from cardboard cut-outs to paper mache! Instructions After discussing the history and uses of weather vanes, use the below instructions to allow students to create their own. Detailed instructions can be found here: Before you begin creating, take a look at some unique weather vane examples: westcoastweathervanes.com/interests_and_hobbies/whimsy/ Supplies (1) Thick cardboard (or thin wood - if you choose). (2) Pencil (3) Scissors or a scroll saw (depending on the material you choose to use) (4) Paint or other method of finishing your weathervane (5) Paintbrush, water, containers etc. (6) A small piece of dowel or a stick 7

8 Classroom Activities continued ACTIVITY 4 MATH CONNECTION Many folk artists used symmetry and geometry to create various beautiful forms of decorative art. Exploring the relationship between visual symmetry and geometry is a great way to show students how math is applicable in various ways, outside of its own field. Use the exercise below to explore how quilt squares use geometry and symmetry. Found here: Instructions Begin by discussing the meaning of symmetry. Ask students where symmetry can be found in nature as well as in artworks. Using several colors of construction paper and a ruler, allow students to design a symmetrical quilt square (5 x 5 ). After students complete their square, the work can be hung together as a completed paper quilt. Discuss the similarities and differences between the squares made, allowing students to discuss why they chose that particular design. Unidentified artist, Pair of Chalkware Cats, c.1820, polychrome chalk plaster, Courtesy of the Barbara L. Gordon Collection 8

9 Classroom Activities continued ACTIVITY 5 VISUAL ARTS CONNECTION Portraits play a large role in the history of art and allow us to take a peek into the lives of people, places, and things from long ago. In early American folk art, portraits became a popular way to document a family s success and decorate their homes. By using the ABC s of Portraiture, students can gain visual literacy skills to discover the meanings behind a portrait. Instructions First discuss the meaning of portraiture in 18th - and 19th - century America using this discussion page: DISCOVER THE ABC S OF PORTRAITURE Attributes a quality, property, or characteristic of somebody or something. (Example: One of a king s attribute is his crown.) Body Language bodily mannerisms, postures, and facial expressions that can be interpreted as unconsciously communicating somebody's feelings or psychological state. Costume A style of dress, including clothing, accessories, and hairstyle, especially as characteristic of a particular country, period, or people. Setting The surroundings in which something or someone is set; the background. Using the above ABC s and prior discussion knowledge, allow students to create a self portrait. You can use paper, paint, pastels, pencils, markers, or collage materials. Encourage your learners to use symbolism, environment, and attributes in their art work to represent features about themselves. Do you like to read? Why not draw yourself in the library! Do you enjoy sports? Include a ball and bat in your portrait! After completing the art work, allow students to show-and-tell about their finished piece while encouraging explanations of artistic choices. For more on age appropriate supplies for portraiture: museum/.../lessonplan.pdf 9

10 Memphis Brooks Museum of Art Overton Park 1934 Poplar Avenue Memphis, TN