L. Lova Jones A Portrait is Worth a Thousand Words Provided by the South Dakota Art Museum Brookings, South Dakota
South Dakota Artists Curriculum Unit Unit of Study: L. Lova Jones, painter Title of Lesson Plan: A Portrait is Worth a Thousand Words Grade Level: 3 5
South Dakota Content Standards Fine Arts: Visual Arts Standard One 3-4: Students will describe how visual arts tell stories, express moods, or convey ideas. Visual Arts Standard Two 3-4: Students will understand selected techniques which give artwork detail. Visual Arts Standard Two 5-8: Students will describe the various techniques which give artwork definition and detail.
South Dakota Content Standards U.S. History: 3.US.2.2 Students are able to identify a community s culture and history. 4.US.2.1 4.US.2.3 Students are able to describe the impact of significant turning points on the development of the culture of South Dakota. Students are able to describe the influence of notable South Dakotans on the development of our state.
Assessment Strategies Class discussion Observation using VTS Create a portrait following rubric guidelines
Learning Objectives Students will learn about South Dakota artist Lova Jones. Students will evaluate the painting using VTS techniques. Students will explain the significance of portraits. Students will create a portrait from a digital photo.
Time Required Two class periods of 30 40 minutes each Materials/Technology Needed **Images of Lova Jones portraits: Senator Richard F. Pettigrew (at the Pettigrew Museum in Sioux Falls, SD) and former South Dakota Governor Frank M. Byrne (found at the South Dakota Cultural Heritage Museum in Pierre, SD) Digital camera Printer Drawing paper Crayons, colored pencils, paints, etc.
Background Information L. Lova Jones is best known for her portraits and landscapes. She lived in the first frame house built in Brandon Township (11 miles northeast of Sioux Falls) that was built around 1875. Lova Jones painted the portraits of three early prominent South Dakota men: Senator Richard F. Pettigrew, former South Dakota Governor Frank M. Byrne, and Sioux Falls druggist and land developer L.T. Dunning.
Lesson Description **If you can find images of the portraits of Senator Richard F. Pettigrew or former South Dakota Governor Frank M. Byrne, show these to the students. If you cannot get a copy of those portrait images, you could go to the South Dakota Governors Portraits link listed below to use as an example. Using VTS observations, have students describe the portraits by answering questions like: How would you describe this person? What type of personality do you think this person has? What makes you say that?
Lesson Description continued Discuss the students observations as a class. Ask them if they have ever had a portrait done? How do we typically have portraits done today - an artist s painting or photography? (Tell students that today the president s portrait is painted after they are out of office, they use a photograph while they are in office.) Their assignment will be to take a digital picture of a friend, a teacher, librarian, school nurse, the principal, or have someone take a picture of you. Remember as you take the picture of the person to have them pose (this is where looking at a variety of SD governor portraits might be helpful - some are formal, some are relaxed). Also, students may want to keep the pictures as a waist up shot so their portraits don t get too detailed.
Lesson Description continued Print a copy of each student s picture (and it does not have to be on photo quality paper). Then, students need to draw and then color the portrait of the person that they took the picture of. Display the portrait and the photo together in the classroom, hallway, library, etc.
Enrichment Have students research one of the three men that L. Lova Jones created portraits for and how they were important to the development and growth of South Dakota.
Bibliography/Resources South Dakota Art Museum Collection L. Lova Jones Image of Senator Richard F. Pettigrew courtesy of the Siouxland Heritage Museums Sioux Falls, SD Image of South Dakota Governor Frank M. Byrne courtesy of the Museum of the South Dakota State Historical Society, Pierre, SD Governor Portraits. State of South Dakota. 30 December 2002 < http://www.state.sd.us/state/capitol/capitol/tour/govpics2.htm>.
L. Lova Jones Presentation to Students
L. Lova Jones Image Courtsey of the South Dakota Art Museum
L. Lova Jones 1874 1951 Attended the Art Institute of Chicago Taught and painted art in Chicago and California Painted portraits and scenery Painted portraits of 3 notable South Dakotans Senator R. F. Pettigrew Governor Frank M. Byrne, 1913 1917 L. T. Dunning, pioneer druggist and land developer of Sioux Falls, SD
Bibliography South Dakota Art Museum Collection L. Lova Jones *For more information about L. Lova Jones, contact the South Dakota Art Museum
South Dakota Governor Frank M. Byrne Image Courtesy of the Museum of the South Dakota State Historical Society, Pierre, SD
Senator Richard F. Pettigrew Image Courtesy of the Siouxland Heritage Museums, Sioux Falls, SD
Examples of L. Lova Jones Artwork
Falling Snow Image Courtsey of the South Dakota Art Museum
Anthill Image Courtsey of the South Dakota Art Museum