Master's Art Class for Surf Students Fall 2013

Master's Art Class for Surf Students Fall 2013

I'm teaching a 45 minute art class to a class of 7th & 8th graders in our small homeschool group.  This is a 45 minute class, at a church that we are borrowing the room for that allotted amount of time.  For that reason, a drawing class works perfect since we can't really make a mess and don't need any drying time.

Regarding my choice of artwork---I could have picked other pieces; but I am teaching 7th & 8th grade students and felt that clothed works would be best for this group.

This class is formatted to be a short art history lesson thrown into a drawing class.  Usually I just do a drawing class; but for some reason I really had it pull in my heart that I needed to put some art history into this drawing class.  It just kept pestering me until I finally agreed with my conscience.  So, I've managed to try to keep the history pretty short.  I've printed out a color print of the painting and a black and white copy of the short biography I've written up and given both to the students to keep with their sketch books.  On the first class, the students were given all the materials, and I walked them through the step-by-step procedure to make their own sketch books for the class.  Then the students are *suppose* to bring their sketch books back each class to draw in during each class; but like I said --7th/8th graders and they don't always remember them!

This time (unlike the previous art classes I've taught for our co-op), I've asked the students to bring in objects to draw.  I gave some ideas for what to bring in; focusing on nature objects or vases.  But, the students are bringing in little lego figures or plastic animals or the like.  Things I would find rather difficult to begin drawing.  I've also continued to bring in my normal supply of objects---shells, blue glass collections of varying tall and short jars/bottles, acorns, a few odd nature objects.

We learn about our artist of the week first, and go over the biography page.  I write up a short one page bio that I've condensed down from many different resources; trying to make things as simple as I can; but interesting too.  I wish I could say this was the easiest part of the class; but this is what takes up days and hours of my time!!!  I really enjoy reading and researching trying to figure out what the bare elements that must be in that one page.  Or just reading and taking notes for me to try to fit in if I get the chance during the class.

The sequence of our classes are roughly the same each class.  We do some blind contour/ timed drawings that range between 45 seconds and 2 minutes; some dual hand drawings--where each hand is in sync with the other hand; Negative Space drawing of one of the objects available on the table--one or two of those--timed as well.  We usually do some value scale drawings; not every class though.

Then we look at the drawing from the artist we are focusing on.  On the Mona Lisa, we turned her upside down and drew her for ourselves.   Instead of trying to do a proper drawing I had the students just turn the Mona Lisa into a Value Scale--find the darks and lights on the page...which they thought was a little crazy to do!  But, before they did the Mona Lisa we did a few plain value scales in a straight line---5-6 rectangles growing from pure white slightly increasing to total black; then once they understood that simple value scale we moved on the do it to the Mona Lisa.  Then we did an extended drawing, from one of the objects brought in or that I offered.

Class One:

 Leonardo da Vinci: Mona Lisa

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mona_lisa

Leonardo DaVinci

Leonardo DaVinci was born in the small Italian town of Vinci in 1452 during the period of time referred to as “The Renaissance”.  When he was little he drew pictures of plants, flowers, birds, insects, and animals.  He drew nature and things from nature from the very beginning.  It is important to realize that nature was significant to Leonardo from his earliest years; because it remained vital to everything he did his whole life.  When he painted his paintings, his backgrounds were as involved and integral as the main figures.

Leonardo was exceptional for many reasons; one being that he wasn’t just an artist—he was able to do so many things exceptionally well.  He was a mathematician, inventor, sculptor, scientist, architect, and musician.  Leonardo used his detailed drawing abilities to design bridges, churches, and complete cities.  He would write notes on the drawings, with the words written backwards to prevent people from being able to read it. 

Leonardo used the lessons he learned from nature to make his paintings more realistic and appear more dimensional.  He incorporated nature’s harmony into all of his work.  Before Leonardo most paintings had flat backgrounds; but he made shadowy backgrounds-a fine haze called “sfumato”- that made his paintings appear alive and beautiful.  His paintings had a feeling of movement; and his gentle nature seems to radiate from the canvas.  He used dark shadows and light colors to make the painting seem to come toward you.

Leonardo completed very few paintings; probably because of his highly precise personality—he seems to have been a perfectionist!  He was a relentless experimenter that had far ranging curiosities about many different areas of science.  His drawings in his notebooks preserved an extensive record of his many ideas.  His interests focused increasingly on science in his later years, and he embraced the pursuit of knowledge in his later years.  His investigations of anatomy were shown in his many drawings; which were very precise and beautifully executed.

The other major work of art that you really should remember that Leonardo painted was The Last Supper.  I also always think of his many drawings of flying contraptions and anatomy.  The question for you to think about is why was Leonardo such a remarkable, stark change from his contemporaries? I have my many reasons; but you should try to think of a few of your own ideas of what you think separated him from the rest of the artists of his time.

Class Two: 

Michelangeo: Prophet Isaiah (at the Sistine Chapel)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prophet_Isaiah_%28Michelangelo%29

Michelangelo

Michelangelo was born roughly 500 years ago in Caprese, Italy, on March 6, 1475, during the Renaissance.  At 13 years of age he was apprenticed to the artist Ghirlandaio; who was a mural painter.  After only one year he was invited to study and work in the school of Florence, to study and work in the school of sculpture.  After 4 years he worked independently on his own art work. 

A few highlights from his artist career:

At 24 years of age his sculpture called the “Pieta”, (1498-1499) of the Madonna and Jesus, made him famous and began his wonderfully long and prolific career. 1501-1504 He sculpted from marble, the magnificent “David” portrayal from the Bible.  From 1508 to 1512 he painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome, with “The Creation of Adam” being the best known of the nine ceiling decorations.  The scenes are interpretations from the Book of Genesis. 

Michelangelo was younger than Leonardo da Vinci; but similarly to da Vinci, he was also a multi-talented Italian man.  Michelangelo was a painter, sculptor, architect, poet, and engineer of the High Renaissance.  He was as powerful a painter as he was a sculptor; *in my opinion.   He also studied nature and science to make his artwork as lifelike as possible.  He left a very large legacy of surviving works that we can see today.  This man worked very diligently all his 89 years!  He never married or had children; but focused on his art his whole life.

As Michelangelo became an older man, and grew in wisdom, he began turned more towards traditional Christian values.  He saw his art as a way of expressing his deep Christian faith.

Class Three:

Caravaggio:The Martyrdom of Saint Matthew

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Martyrdom_of_Saint_Matthew_%28Caravaggio%29

Caravaggio

Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio otherwise known as Amerighi da Caravaggio otherwise known simply as “CARAVAGGIO” was born in Caravaggio, Italy in 1571 or 1573 and died 38 years later in 1610.  What a short, passionate, prolific life this man led.  He trained in Milan under Simone Peterzano, who trained under the very famous, Titan.  Caravaggio moved away from their training and their styles of painting and developed into what is known now as Baroque period. Peterzano and Titan were part of the Mannerist period, and so was Caravaggio—until he painted The Martyrdom of Saint Matthew(1599-1600); which was his crossover painting to the Baroque style.   His style of painting was just like his personality---very passionate, very dramatic, and very emotional.  His personality and his painting style were very “dramatic” with strong contrasting values. 

At the time, most artists made a living my getting commissions to do religious works for churches.  The Martyrdom of Saint Matthew was one of three large paintings he did for the Contarelli Chapel of the church of the French congregation San Luigi dei Francesi in Rome.  The painting shows the martyrdom of Saint Matthew the Evangelist.  Caravaggio’s painting has been x-rayed to see that he had three different versions or drafts of this painting. They could see his first two versions, which had more background and more figures.  He took out the background, simplified the design, and reduced the amount of figures in the painting.  As he progressed in this style, he usually had less than 5 figures in most paintings. The first two versions were more in the Mannerist style, which was the norm of most artists in Rome at the time.  His third version, which was NOT Mannerist; but in his more personalized style in which his figures were defined by light and darkness and the background was in darkness caused quite a sensation.   This painting is significant because it is when he found HIS style of painting; which is what separated him from everyone else and started the whole "Baroque" period.  This painting is where what we consider "Caravaggio"  began; you can see his strength in the early pieces; but it definitely takes a big leap in this painting and continues to grow in strength for his remaining 10 years of life.  

This painting style, chiaroscuro, in art- the use of strong contrasts between light and dark, using bold contrasts that affect a whole composition is called “chiaroscuro”.  Chiaroscuro focuses on the most important elements of the subject and centers the light there—sort of like a spot light picks out the action on a stage.  Centuries before spotlights were invented, this painting technique did the same thing.  This dramatic style of painting is very engaging and evokes strong feelings from the viewer; and is the number one reason why I personally admire Caravaggio!

Caravaggio began his four year painting apprenticeship at the age of 13, and started selling his paintings at 22 years old.  He was famous during his life time for his amazing painting abilities as well as for being very arrogant, rebellious, and a trouble maker.  Because of his consistent habit of getting into fight after fight he was always on the run from the law (and the Pope in Italy issued a death warrant for his life).  I don’t want to glamorize his lifestyle or his criminal behavior; but he got in many fights—one ending in the death of the man he was fighting.   He was a very passionate man that made very passionate paintings.  I hope you look up his work and get to know him, and many of the Masters, better! 


In my talk to the students about Caravaggio---I handed out color prints of this painting: The Martydom of Saint Matthew and explained how this is the pivotal painting where he really became the great painter we all know.  I chose this painting because this is the painting where it all happened....you would think in an art history class you would only chose the artist most famous painting or piece of art that is their most well known piece--but that is not how I chose this painting.

Class Four:
We began with our prayer (we always do!) then I read the page I handed out on Georgia O'Keefe (I actually only read the high points since it was a little long and we didn't have time for every line.) and looked at the color print of the color print of Purple Petunia and discussed it.  Then we did our warm-up drawing exercises.  During our very first class I had the class answer a lot of questions regarding what we could do during the class; and one question was whether or not they would want to draw with paper taped up on the wall; and they had unanimously said "yes!".  Dd and I bought a big roll of brown butchers paper at Lowe's and some masking tape and put up 16 large pieces around the room for each student to have a station.  The students could use pencil, or black Sharpie, or black drawing pens.  They had a BLAST!!!!  So much so, that we are going to do it again this week.  There were a few students that drew some really quick, fast, flat cartoon thing and were "done".

Georgia O’Keefe

One of America’s most well known female artists was born on November 15, 1887 to Ida and Frank O’Keefe.  She was the eldest of five girls in a family of seven children.  Her father was a successful farmer in Wisconsin.  She grew up working on the farm; learning to sew, cook, tend the vegetable garden, building her own doll house and spending hours creating make-believe worlds.   Her mother thought all her children should go to college and learn a profession to work outside the home.

Georgia knew by the age of 10 that she was an artist.  She studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago from 1905-1906.  She attended the Art Students League in New York City under William Merritt Chase.  Chase had a tremendous influence on her.  He taught the “plen air” method of painting, and often taught his students in outdoor classes.  Chase said to be “artistic in every way”.  To him, the process of painting was more important than the final work.  He made his students paint eight or ten pictures one on top of the other until the canvas became too thick with paint.  He insisted that his students should paint a new picture every day and experiment with painting the same things in different ways.  These lessons I’ve just mentioned of Chase’s are very much lessons that O’Keefe took to use herself!  When studying O’Keefe, you can clearly see how influential Chase was to her foundation.

So, that is Georgia’s education---why is she so famous that we are talking about her?  Well, I think if we were to walk up to someone on the street and ask “Who is Georgia O’Keefe?” they would say something about her being the lady that paints enormous paintings of flowers; and they would be right.  No one had ever painted flowers this way before; and LOTS of people had been painting flowers for a very long time!!!!  She changed the way people looked at flowers, and the way they painted flowers.  She found her OWN way; her very own unique style.  But, first she started out doing the basics just like everyone else. Georgia won her first prize for a still-life of a rabbit in a class under Chase, and it looks so perfectly perfect…(and kind of boring too) but eventually she kept drawing (with charcoals mostly) and one thing lead to another and her work got attention in New York City in 1916 when she was 29 years old.  Alfred Stieglitz was a well known photographer and art gallery owner was so impressed with her drawings that he put her drawings up in his gallery….and the rest, they say, is history!  I only have one page to tell you about her, so I won’t go into all the details of Georgia and Steiglitz…but they fell in love and married; but most importantly, he encouraged her to focus on her artwork instead of teaching art (which is what she had been doing).  O’Keefe thought that the purpose of art is to show a thought or feeling, and that parts of a painting must work together in harmony.  She remained independent from shifting art trends and stayed true to her own vision, which was based on finding the essential, abstract forms in nature.

Last class we learned about Caravaggio, and how it seemed like he took a spotlight to his figures in his paintings—to force us to focus on what he wanted us to focus on…Well, O’Keefe doesn’t use a spotlight; she uses a MAGNIGFYING GLASS!  She makes us see her subject matter how she wants us to see it—her way!  I’ve found a few quotes from her—so she can tell you about herself!  I thought this might be better than me trying to do it.  Last facts first though: She painted and sculpted and worked all her life; making some two thousand pieces of art until she died at age 98!!!  She is easily considered one of America’s most famous artists.

“Nobody sees a flower, really, it is so small.  We haven’t the time-and to see takes time, like to have a friend takes time.”  “If I could paint the flower exactly as I see it no one would see what I see because I would paint it small.  So I said to myself- I’ll paint what I see- what the flower is to me, but I’ll paint it big, and they will be surprised into taking time to look at it-I will make even busy New Yorkers take time to see what I see of flowers.”

“I hate flowers- I paint them because they’re cheaper than models and they don’t move!”  “I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way-things I had no words for.”

Class Five:

Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo Calderon—a.k.a.-Frida Kahlo

Our painting is: Self-Portrait 1 – 1940 or Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace & Hummingbird 16” x 24”

Was born in Coyoacan,  a small town on the outskirts of Mexico City, on July 6, 1907.  She died at the age of 47, on July 13, 1954.  In 1910 (she was 3 years old) the Mexico Revolution began and was a major influence throughout her life.  Her mother would usher her and her siblings back inside their home each time the revolutionary shots were fired in the streets where they lived.  To complicate her childhood further; she contracted polio at the age of six.  Polio left her right leg thinner than her left leg; so she wore paints or colorful, long skirts.  Finally, at age 18 she was in a major accident between the bus she was riding in and a trolley car.  Some of the riders died in the accident; Frida suffered many injuries: broken spinal column, broken collarbone, broken ribs, broken pelvis, eleven fractures in her right leg, a crushed and dislocated right foot, dislocated shoulder, iron handrail pierced her abdomen and her uterus which compromised her reproductive capacity.  She spent 3 months in a body cast; had 35 operations—mainly on her back, right leg, or right foot.  Understanding the extent of her injuries,  the amount of pain she was constantly in,  the amount of time she spent alone in hospitals or in bed is very critical to getting her perspective of her unique and painful life.  It was all this pain, and all this “brokenness” that caused her to become the artist that she became.  She needed a way to express herself and painting was a perfect outlet for her.

Unlike Georgia O’Keefe; Frida didn’t know as a child that she wanted to be an artist.  She doesn’t have thousands of paintings to her credit—or art school degrees.  She was a very curious child –always bringing home plants, rocks, insects, and small animals to study.  She was particularly bright and was admitted to the National Prepatory School of Mexico being one of only thirty-five girls admitted (quite an honor!).  Her father was a professional photographer and an amateur artist, who was curious about all kinds of things.  He taught her about photography; and this portal is how Frida’s paintings look----like photographs of herself!

What makes Frida so special?  **Frida painted her real feelings in a way that had never been seen before.**  Frida painted about  143 paintings; which 55 were self-portraits; it is the self-portraits that showed all the pain, agony, love, joy, sadness, loneliness, and passion she possessed.   Right after the accident, during her recovery time, Frida began painting while being laid up in her hospital bed.  She had to learn how to deal with being in pain and being bored.  She turned into one of the most popular Mexican artists of all time as a result; being the first Mexican artist to exhibit her own work at the Louvre Museum in Paris, France.  Like with Georgia O’Keefe; Frida was married to a famous artist, and I could spend my whole page talking about him-Diego Rivera (a cubist painter and muralist – one of Mexico’s most famous artists also); but I don’t have time.  They had a very rocky relationship with many up’s and down’s; which gave Frida fuel in which to paint more paintings about her love and devastation regarding Diego.

Now for some quotes from Frida for you to hear about her, from her:

“I paint self-portraits because I am so often alone, because I am the person I know best.”  

“My paintings carry with them the messages of pain.”  

“I never painted my dreams, I painted my own reality.”

 “Painting completes my life.”

I had huge sorrow (paraphrase mine)….”but it learned to swim and now I am overwhelmed by decency and proper behavior.” 

“Taking in one’s sorrow means risking that sorrow to eat you up from the inside.”

“They thought I was a Surrealist, but I wasn’t.  I never painted dreams.  I painted my own reality.”

“I am not sick.  I am broken.  But I am happy to be alive as long as I can paint.”

I hope you all are interested in learning more about Frida Kahlo and will learn more about her and her artwork!!

Mary Cassatt (May 22, 1844 to June 14,1926. 82 yrs old), American painter, lived most in France, Impressionist.

The painting of hers that I chose to pick to focus on is titled: Mother About to Wash Her Sleepy Child; 1880: oil on canvas; 39 ½ x 251/8 in.  The reason I picked this particular painting is that this is her FIRST painting of a mother-and-child theme; which was to become (after this painting) her trademark.  Just like Caravaggio and his dramatic painting style (chiaroscuro), or  Leonardo da Vinci’s style (sfumato), or Georgia’s flowers, or Frida’s passionate feelings on display for all to see---Cassatt became famous for painting genuine sentiment of love and care between mothers and their children---in a way….that had never been done in a way quite like she did it!!! 

A little detail about whom Mary Cassatt was—and how she became the only American painter to become an established member of the French impressionist movement.  She was born on May 22, 1844 (43 years before Georgia O’Keefe) in Allegheny City, PA. to a very well to do real estate and investment broker, and her childhood was typical of his social standing.  There were advantages and disadvantages to being from such a wealthy family.  The advantage was that at the age of 16 she began to study with private art lessons in the Louvre, where she would study and copy masterpieces.  She traveled and lived in Europe; especially Paris, France—travel was considered part of her education; such as learning to draw and speak German and French.  But, her dominate father did NOT approve of her being a “bohemian” artist.  He would never approve or pay for any expenses regarding anything art related—just for her living expenses. When she was 15 years old she began attending the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and ended in 1865; which was the duration of the Civil War.

When she was 24 years old; one of her portraits was selected to be shown in a elite Paris salon (art gallery); which would have been a very big deal for her.  But then 2 years later she had to return to PA because of the Franco-Prussian War breaking out in Europe.  Her father made her life very difficult back at home; and she eventually accepted a artistic commission to return to Europe.

Wasting no time to get back to painting; the Paris Salon accepted her work starting in 1872- which established her as a legitimate artist—and not some hobbyist.  1877 was the first time in 7 years she had no works in the salon; and it was at this time that she was invited by Edgar Degas to show her works with the Impressionists.  (Who are the Impressionists?  A group of artists at the time that broke out of the current style of painting and tended to prefer open air painting and the application of vibrant color in separate strokes with little pre-mixing, which results in an “Impressionistic” view of what you are seeing in the painting.)

Cassatt gladly accepted the invitation from Degas, whom she had long admired.  She began preparing paintings for the 1879 show.  They became good friends, and he influenced Cassatt greatly through the years (pastels, etchings, Japanese influences, and perspective).  She remained an active member of the Impressionists until 1886; then her style evolved and she moved to a more straightforward approach.  She no longer considered herself part of any movements but instead actively experimented with a variety of techniques.  The 1890’s are her most busy and creative time.

In 1915 she had to stop painting because diabetes stole her vision; and she lived the remaining 11 years,  until her death, bitter and unhappy that she couldn’t  do what was her greatest source of pleasure; paint.  Mary never married or seemed the least bit interested in anything but her family and her art.  Her family came to live with her in France; and she took care of them.  She faced many restrictions because she was a woman in this particular time period.  She wasn’t allowed to go the café’s with the other male artists—her good friend, Degas.  She couldn’t take any figure drawing classes where there were nude models.  She worked well around all the limits society and her family imposed upon her and succeeded extraordinarily.

Lastly, a quote from her: “O how wild I am to get to work, my fingers farely itch and my eyes water to see a fine picture again.”