Empathy

This year we have been looking at the big question, What Do Artists Care About and Think About When They Make Art.

Artists care about people.  Artists can paint, draw, or sculpt their feelings. They express the emotions of others in their art.  When we think about the feelings of others and try to put ourselves in their situation, we are being empathetic.  What must it feel like to be in their place at that moment?

Empathy- the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.

One of the first steps of Empathy is to pay attention to a person's facial expressions, body language and the feelings one is expressing.  Once we have determined the feeling of our friend, we have the chance to connect with our friends, classmates, teachers, brothers and sisters and parents in an empathetic response.    

Let's look at a few works of art.  What do you feel or what emotions are these artworks suggesting?

Alice Neel

Mark Rothko

Kerry James Marshall

 Wassily Kandinsky

 Kathe Kollwitz

When we look at art, without realizing it, our brain is responding with empathy to the subject in a work of art.  We almost simulate (pretend to feel) in our mind what we are seeing in the work of art.

(bigthink.com)

 Pablo Picasso

 Kehinde (Ka-hin-day) Wiley

Ann Hamilton

Today Mr. Henderson and I want to talk with you about Empathy.  There is a good chance you are already familiar with the book, Stand in My Shoes by Bob Sornson.  

When we refer to Empathy, we might say, "stand in my shoes".

*What does the expression, Stand in My Shoes mean to you?

*What are some situations where you need or would like your friends and family to have empathy?

*When is a time you displayed empathy?

You will design a shoe with the concept of Empathy in mind.  While you are designing your shoe and writing a statement about empathy, I will have you come up to make a clay empathy pendant. 


We will make your shoe print into a pendant.  The pendant will serve as a reminder to put yourself in someone's shoes.