MASTERPIECE: The Sunflower Quilting Bee at Arles (1991)
ARTIST: Faith Ringgold
CONCEPT: Quilting as an Art Form
GRADE: Second
LESSON: Sunflower Quilt
Objectives: Students will recognize quilting as a form of art
Vocabulary: Shape, Color, Repetition
Materials: White construction paper squares
Tempera paints – yellow, white, green, brown
Brushes
Bowls
Black markers
Glue
Large sheet of butcher paper for mounting
Optional: Fabric for border
Important lesson: What is a quilt? Quilting is an art form. African-American women are credited with the beginning of quilt-making in America. Making quilts was part of their duties as slaves and they made them for the plantation owner’s family. Quilts were part of Faith Ringgold’s family tradition.
Meet the Artist:
· Faith Ringgold was born in Harlem, N.Y. in 1930. She grew up during the time of the Great Depression. As a child she had asthma so she didn’t go to school until 2nd grade.
· Her mother taught her at home and took her to museums. She gave Faith paper & crayons to draw and bits of cloth, needle and thread to make little things. Her mother taught her to sew.
· While she was at college, Faith had a professor who didn’t like her drawings and told her that he didn’t think that she would be an artist.
· Faith Ringgold began her artistic career more than 35 years ago as a painter. Today, she is best known for her painted story quilts – art that combines painting, quilted fabric and storytelling. When she started out, there were hardly any galleries that would show the work of black women.
· She has exhibited all over the world and has permanent collections in many museums in New York City. She has also written and illustrated over a dozen children’s books. She has received more than 75 awards for painting and writing.
· Faith is married with two children, three grandchildren and is a professor of art at the University of California.
Possible Questions:
o What kinds of things do you see in this painting?
o Does this painting tell a story? What do you think it is?
o Who is in the painting? African women in Arles displaying their quilt with the famous Van Gogh standing in the background. Where is Arles? (France)
o How would you describe the lines, the shapes, the colors? Is there repetition?
o Do you like it?
o What would you title this artwork?
o Does it make you want to learn how to quilt?
o What is worth remembering about this painting?
Process: 1. Review the Objective, Artist Biography and attached
handout about the artwork; focus on vocabulary words; refer to Class Discussion section to ensure students understand the meaning of the work;
2. Have each student draw a large sunflower on the white
paper, then paint the flowers and leaves, using only yellow, white, brown and green paints. When fairly dry, outline flowers and leaves with black marker.
3. If time, glue them all together onto a large sheet of butcher paper to make a large quilt for display. (You may have to collect the individual works and glue them onto the butcher paper later.)
4. Optional: You may add a fabric border using scraps of
different color paper and designs of cloth cut into triangles, or use one large piece onto which to glue all the flower squares.
Vocabulary Words:
Shape: A flat figure created when actual or implied lines meet to enclose a space. A change in color or shading can define a shape. Shapes can be divided into several types: geometric (square, triangle, circle) and organic (irregular in outline).
Color: (Also “Hue”). The common name of a color in or related to the spectrum, such as yellow, yellow-orange, blue-violet, green.
Repetition: When word, sound, color or pattern is used over and over again. A repeated pattern is a design with parts that are used over and over in a regular or planned way, usually to create a visual rhythm or harmony.
Art Masterpiece: February– 2nd Grade – The Sunflower Quilting Bee at Arles
Today in Art Masterpiece we studied the artist Faith Ringgold and her painting, The Sunflower Quilting Bee at Arles. Faith grew up during the Great Depression. Her mother gave her paper, crayons and bits of cloth to make things. Faith is known for her art that combines painting and fabric quilting storytelling. African American women are credited with the beginnings of quilt making in America and part of Faith’s family tradition. Today the students had an opportunity to create their own sunflower that can be put together in a big class quilt.
Art Masterpiece: February– 2nd Grade – The Sunflower Quilting Bee at Arles
Today in Art Masterpiece we studied the artist Faith Ringgold and her painting, The Sunflower Quilting Bee at Arles. Faith grew up during the Great Depression. Her mother gave her paper, crayons and bits of cloth to make things. Faith is known for her art that combines painting and fabric quilting storytelling. African American women are credited with the beginnings of quilt making in America and part of Faith’s family tradition. Today the students had an opportunity to create their own sunflower that can be put together in a big class quilt.