Terri Smeltzer
Center Cass School District #66
Grade: 1
Elementary Art
Title: Abstract Expressionism: Pollock and Mitchell
Summary: An exploration into Abstract Expressionism. Students will compare and contrast the works of Jackson Pollock and Joan Mitchell. Students will learn about the art elements and principles with an emphasis in primary and secondary colors, lines, and the creative process of abstract art. Students will learn about the Abstract Expressionist artists Jackson Pollock and Joan Mitchell. Students will learn about their life experiences in becoming artist, inspirations in art and how their work influenced life.
Focus Art Work:
Jackson Pollock, Greyed Rainbow, 1953.
Joan Mitchell, City Landscape, 1955.
State Standards:
State Goal 25: Know the language of the arts.
State Goal 26: Through creating and performing, understand
how works of art are produced.
State Goal 27: Understand the role of the arts in civilizations, past and present.
Objectives:
· Students will be able to identify Abstract Expressionism.
· Students will understand the artistic process of Abstract Art.
· Students will produce their own Abstract Expressionistic artwork.
Vocabulary:
· Art Elements: Line, Shape, Color, texture, space, form, value
· Art Principles: Emphasis, Balance, Harmony, Variety, Movement, Rhythm, Proportion
· Style: Abstract Expressionism (examine both words- abstract and expressionism and them together)
· Primary Colors
· Secondary Colors
· Canvas
· Studio
· Action Painting
Materials:
Mimio Images (generic smart board), Paper, construction paper, glue sticks, placemats, art shirts, tempera paint, string, pipettes, sponge dobbers/stamps, spray bottles, and plastic textured brayers.
Background Information:
Jackson Pollock
· Born in Cody, Wyoming on January 28, 1912.
· He was the 5th and youngest son in his family.
· His family moved several times throughout his childhood- eventually influencing his need for open space and larger scale works.
· He attended Manuel Arts High School where he was encouraged to study Art.
Pollock continued:
· Followed his eldest brother, Charles, to N.Y. to study with his teacher Thomas Hart Benton (Regionalist painter) at Art Students League.
o Studied old masters
o Was exposed to large scale works and experimental techniques which inspired him.
· Met Lee Krasner (painter and wife) at a group exhibition
· Met Peggy Guggenheim a wealthy N.Y. heiress whose money built Guggenheim museum. She became his art dealer and patron.
· In 1945, P. Guggenheim also gave him the down payment for his small farm house at ‘The Springs’ in East Hampton Long Island.
· Began his large scale works at the ‘Springs’.
· Aug.1949, Life Magazine did a piece on Pollock which put him and his works into the larger public eye.
· 1951 his changed his emphasis and gave up color and created a series of black paintings on unprimed canvas.
· Struggled with alcohol and eventually transitioned back to color.
· Marriage to Krasner was unstable and Pollock had a mistress.
· Krasner moved to Europe for a art/working opportunity until his death.
· Artistic Process- He was an action painter. He wanted to be ‘in’ the painting. He spread his canvas on the floor and worked from above his painting by moving around it.
· He used household paints and ‘tools’ to drip, pour, etc his paints.
· Died August 11, 1956 at the age of 44 in a car accident.
Joan Mitchell
· Born in Chicago, Il. in 1926.
· She loved poetry and art from a young age.
· She attended the Art Institute of Chicago in 1944-1949 where her work was mainly figurative.
· At age 21, she moved to New York and was inspired by abstract artists.
· Was one of the few female artists in New York School.
· Beginning in 1955 she spent winters painting in N.Y and summers working in Paris, France.
· City Landscape among other works of Mitchell’s at the time reflected urban environments. She used oil on canvas.
Mitchell continued:
· Artistic Process: She was not an action painter. She did not rely on chance when working with her paints. She used her memories and emotions of landscapes and cities. She paints from ‘a distance’.
· Died in Paris France in 1992 at the age of 66.
Resources:
The Art Institute of Chicago: Crown Family Educator Resource Center-Department of Museum Education, Teacher Program. City Landscape, 1955. Informational Packet.
Greenberg, Jan and Sandra Jordan, Action Jackson. Roaring Book Press, 2002.
Http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Mitchell.
www.jackson-pollock.com/biography.html.
www.joanmitchellfoundation.org/index.html.
Preparations:
· Prepare mimio slides.
· 3 cups of Primary colored tempera paints on each table with a ‘garbage pile’ paper and placemat for paints.
· Cut 3 pieces of string (arm length) for each student
· Set up/clean up water table.
· Copy papers with words including art elements, art principles, shapes, colors, etc.
Procedures/ Activities:
Day 1:
1. Have students sit on the floor and read story, Action Jackson by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan (Illustrated by Robert Andrew Parker.
· Discuss play clothes/ art clothes.
· Discuss what a studio is and artistic process.
· What is a canvas and have kids feel one.
2. Have students look at Grey Rainbow.
· Observe
· Question
o Which artwork were you drawn too?
o What do you think the artists were thinking about when they created these works?
o What do you like or dislike about these artworks?
· Discuss with questions
· Learn Pollock- Clap In /Clap Out
· Have students make facial ‘Expressions’ (happy, mad, sad, disappointed, bored, and more) to illustrate the idea of Expressionism.
Day 2:
1. Have images of Greyed Rainbow (Pollock) and City Landscape (Mitchell). Below….
2. Have students take a moment to observe and share comments with their table/group.
See next page for images:
3. Using one piece of construction paper for each student, spread descriptive words and art vocabulary pieces on each table. Students will select an artwork and us glue and paste descriptive words to the construction paper in whatever order they feel relates to one of the paintings.
4. Any remaining time, have student share thoughts on paintings and give them information about Pollock and Mitchell.
Day 3:
1. Begin class with Pollock and Mitchell paintings. Have students review information on Abstract Expressionism and artists.
2. Introduce Primary colors to students and demonstrate painting primary colors with paper (for differentiation I let students select their color of paper).
3. Students will create their own primary colored string paintings.
4. Clean up and review, including clap in/out Pollock and Mitchell.
Day 4:
1. Review clap in/out the artists.
2. Demonstrate and discuss Secondary colors.
3. Have students pass around jars of primary colors to see what they mix and make.
4. Using alternative objects (pipettes, spray bottles, sponge dobbers, and textured brayers), have students paint the secondary colors.
5. Show a virtual tour of Art Institute of Chicago’s Modern wing emphasizing on Pollock and Mitchell works.
a. Ask student why they think Pollock and Mitchell would be hanged near each other?
b. With time left over following painting activity, show students additional works of Mitchell and Pollock.
Day 5
1. Have students’ descriptive work displayed in the room. Have students take the time to observe, react and express their thoughts about their works. (At this time we also discuss in kids terms positive constructive criticism.)
2. With students, take a virtual tour of Art Institute of Chicago’s Modern wing emphasizing on Pollock and Mitchell works.
3. Ask student why they think Pollock and Mitchell would be hanged near each other?
4. See other Abstract Expressionist artworks.
Extension/Homework: As first graders homework is not an option especially since I only see them once a week. However I always offer extra credit for students that bring in information and/or proof of an art museum visit.
Assessment:
· Review questions from activities at the end of each day.
· Begin classes with open-ended questions for students
· Evaluate artwork for comprehension in Art Expressionism, Primary Colors, and Secondary Colors.