Artist of the Quarter Henri Matisse

Goal: 3D/2D shapes, Geometric/Organic Shapes, drawing geometric shapes, creating reflections, art of Henri Matisse

This week's lesson allows first and second grade students to examine Henri Matisse's “Goldfish” painted in 1912 using Visual Thinking Strategies. One of my goals as an art educator is to get students talking about art and drawing their own conclusions from art finding visual evidence within the work. Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) allows each child to share what they see or find in a piece of art and connect their findings to visual evidence within the painting. Through VTS' rigorous group 'problem-solving' process, students cultivate a willingness and ability to present their own ideas, while respecting and learning from the perspectives of their peers.  Common questions asked during a VTS discussion include: 

What's going on in this picture?

What do you see that makes you say that?

What more can we find?

Henri Matisse "Goldfish" Painted 1912

While examining Henri Matisse's art and life, students learned the difference between geometric and organic shapes, bright colors and dull colors, and reflections created in art. We also practiced drawing various geometric shapes. In first and second grade, we will practice drawing cones, cylinders and cubes, all three dimensional shapes. 

Students drew hearts on the shapes best drawn!

After examining his art and life and drawing 3D shapes, students will have the opportunity to create their own Henri Matisse inspired cylinder and add background and foreground patterns to create their own environment for their cylinder based on personal preference. 

Here are a few videos we watched to give us more information about Henri Matisse's life and art, all available on You Tube. We especially focused on how others were creating art during his life and how he chose to use bright colors rather than dull colors to express himself which labeled him as a "wild beast" by the art community.

 

 

SD Visual Art Standards:

Anchor Standard 1: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work. 1.VA.Cr.1.1 Engage in creative art making using observation and investigation. 2.VA.Cr.1.1. Brainstorm and implement multiple approaches, materials, and tools to solve an art design problem driven by personal interests and curiosity or to re-purpose objects to make something new.

Anchor Standard 2 (K-2): Organize and develop artistic ideas and work. 1.VA.Cr.2.1. Explore safe uses of materials, tools, and procedures to create works of art or design.  2.VA.Cr.2.1 Experiment with various materials and tools while demonstrating safe use of materials, tools, and procedures to create works of art or design.

Anchor Standard 7 (K-2): Perceive and analyze artistic work. (examining Matisse's use of geometric and organic shapes as well as bright colors)

Anchor Standard 11 (K-2): Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural and historical context to deepen understanding.