IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK...

People have been putting art on walls since The Stone Age, before writing and agriculture (think of it simply as farming--growing plants, raising animals)  Art sent a message to the community.  What do you think this early art was trying to say, express or communicate?

Look at the subject of the art.  Most common are large ice age animals like horses, bison, mammoths, and deer. You can see human figures, handprints, and abstract symbols. 

What surface is this art created on?  

What materials would have been available to the artists?  Would they have been able to go to Michael's or Blick to get canvas and paint brushes?

Pigments were created from natural materials like charcoal (black), ochre (reds and yellows), and materials from nature.  Some images were carved or scratched into the rock.  Even 10,000 to 20,000 years ago,  pictures were placed on walls to communicate and display what was important to the people of these areas of the world.

Artists today are still creating art on walls.  When an artist creates a large-scale artwork on a wall, it's called a Mural.  What would motivate an artist to create art this size?  Can you think of any murals inside or near our school?  

Artists are able to communicate their ideas to more people and even the world when they create murals.  Large art murals are easily seen and can be enjoyed by the community.  They can provide beauty or share an important message.

 The Giant of Boston is a mural found in Boston, Massachusetts and painted by Brazillian artists by Os Gemeos.  Their art explores the idea of immigrating or moving to another country.  When you move to a new city, you bring your culture, ideas and beliefs and that might affect how you feel in a new place. How do you feel when you are in a new place? (excited, nervous, proud, unsure, timid)

Kelsey Montague creates murals around the world that often ask the question, What lifts you?  These murals bring joy to a community and ask us to think about what inspires us?  What are your dreams and goals?

Saint Louis has Mural Mile.  A stretch of a flood wall (a large barrier that protects St. Louis if the Mississippi river were to rise) that sits between Saint Louis and the Mississippi River is covered in graffiti and murals.  Artists add beauty to a part of a city that would otherwise be a big gray concrete flood wall and lots of warehouses.

Artists can use murals to send messages to the community.  When you look at this mural, what might the artist Banksy value?  Which part of the word PARKING did Banksy not cover?

Not all murals are on walls.  Can you tell where this mural was painted?  Michelangelo painted this mural in Italy.

Art we hang on the walls of our home and the spaces we visit can represent what we like and what we value.  It can show what we like or think is important.

When a person puts art under a magnet on the fridge, in a frame on the wall or saved on a phone screen, it will be seen often.  We surround ourselves with things we WANT to see. 

How do you choose what to display?

*beauty, memories, decoration, heritage...

What are some items you have on your walls?  

Tell us about what you or your family displays on the wall, a shelf, the fridge or another place?

What does the art on the walls and shelves show about what your family likes or thinks is important?

(student examples:  soccer posters and trophies.  Menorahs on a shelf and Crosses on a wall.  tapestry from their relatives in Sweden.  a Dala horse from Sweden.  photo of relatives.  painting grandma made)

What will you display on your walls?

What will your art communicate?  and Who is the message for?

Some people say, "I'm NOT an artist"

For whatever reason, some people don't see themselves as artists.  (I don't hear this much in our art room but sometimes from adults).

*Maybe because they think their drawings don't look "real" enough.  

*Or maybe because they make mistakes.  

*Perhaps they like to work messy and think an artist should be exact and perfect.  

*Maybe their idea didn't turn out how they envisioned (how they saw it in their mind).  

*Possibly it's because they don't like drawing.  They only like sewing or clay.

Let's look at artistic behaviors, we call them, The Studio Habits of Mind.  There are 8! Being an artist is more than just drawing really well.  Most of you know you are an artist and if you don't believe that, maybe this lesson will change your mind.

Do you DEVELOP your CRAFT?

Artists improve skills through practice?  Artists organize and care for art materials and tools.  Artists have studio routines. When you work as an artist practicing and and creating in the studio you are Developing Craft.

Do you ENGAGE and PERSIST?

Artists focus on their work?  Do you stick with it even when your art gets difficult? Do you try again? 

What helps you stay focused and solve art problems?

When you focus on your art and stick with it, you Engage and Persist.

Do you ENVISION?

Artists imagine new artworks and how to to create their idea.  When you get out your artwork from last class and think about what to do next, you are thinking ahead and envisioning what you will do next.

When you ENVISION,  you are using your imagination to come up with an idea.  You picture something clearly in your mind.

When you see an idea in your imagination and think ahead about how to create it, you Envision.

Do you EXPRESS?

Artists show emotions and feelings in art.  If you are feeling happy or joyful, you might use yellow, red or orange.  If you are calm or sad you might use blue, purple or green.  

Colors can show the mood of artists.  So can lines.  Thick jagged lines or soft curling lines can give your work different feelings. When you show ideas, beliefs and feelings in your art, you Express.

Do you OBSERVE?

Artists see the world.  Artists take time to look closely and notice details.  Artists look at the world and create meaning and understanding with art materials.  

As an artist, you tell your own story.  We all view the world in our own unique way.  

Look at the variety of ways artists saw a rainbow.   

Do you REFLECT?

Artists look at their art and think about what they like, what they are proud of and what they might change?

Do you share your art and get feedback from others?  Artists reflect.

Do you Stretch and Explore?

when you STRETCH you are trying things that might be difficult.  When you EXPLORE you are discovering new ideas and ways of working. Artists experiment and test out new materials.  Artists discover the possibilities.  Artists look to see what will happen.  Artists take risks. 

Embracing mistakes: Turning an accidental paint blob, an ink smudge, or a ripped paper edge into a funny monster, a cloud, or a brand-new part of the design.  If you make a "beautiful oops" you are stretching yourself as an artist.

Do you SEE THE ART WORLD?

Artists learn about the history of art.  When and why artists made art. They learn about artists living NOW.  Artists understand they are part of the art community.

Do you go to the museum or gallery, if so, you are understanding the art world?  

When you talk and connect with an artist about their work and yours, you are understanding the art world.  

As we look at these Studio Habits of Mind, I see all of these behaviors happening in our Choice Art Studio.  I hope that you recognize these creative behaviors in yourself.

YOU ARE AN ARTIST!

Do you research?

When you research, you examine, investigate and study art materials, lines, shapes and forms...how a paint brush makes marks on your paper.  You might mix colors of paint together and see what color you get.  Exploring what happens when you put salt on watercolor or put watercolors on top of an oil pastel line drawing.  Learning more about an artist and how they make their art or take notice which blue is the best for coloring the sky in your artwork are ways artists research.