Artist Baskets

A few years ago it became a goal of mine to create Artist Baskets. The contents of these baskets would share with young children about the lives and creations of some of the world's more famous artists. They would be introduced at circle by me, the story of the artist would be shared, the materials presented. Next the basket would return to it's spot on the shelf accompanied by prints of the artist's work (if available), books about the artist, and any related items that might inspire my classroom of young artists to create!

A few famous names came to mind right away: Van Gogh, Matisse, Renoir, Picasso, Monet, Jackson Pollack, and I realized that they were ALL men. Talented artists who I love and adore but still, ALL men, and there are little girls who are artists! And so I began searching out some more talented artists (who happened to be female) to balance my collection. Easier said than done...

Should you want to enrich your classrooms or homes with Artist Baskets of your own, these are the female artists I added to my list:

• Mary Cassatt
• Georgia O'Keeffe
• Grandma Moses
• Frida Kahlo
• Beatrix Potter

Here is a sample of one of my more simple Artist Baskets:

Artist: Georgia O'Keeffe

Materials: Flower fabric (not shown)

Georgia O’Keeffe doll representation(s)

Small easel with several small prints of her paintings

Silk flower

Presentation:

"Watch where I go to get today’s story."

Unfold the flower fabric. As you smooth out the wrinkles say . . .

"What could this be? Are these flowers? I like flowers; I wonder if the artist we are going to learn about today enjoyed flowers? Let’s see what else we have in this Artist’s basket."

Set up the small easel incorrectly at first, as though you had never seen one before, then right it, nod and look in the basket for a painting to display on it. As you do say things like . . .

"I think I recognize this, it is so colorful, yes, I think I’ve seen this picture before."

Place the Georgia O’Keeffe doll on the flower fabric.

"This is the Artist who painted these pictures. Her name is Georgia O’Keeffe.

Let me share with you, the story of her life."

Place the small Georgia doll on the rug.

"This girl is Georgia. She became a famous artist when she grew up, but when she was just a small child she was already an artist. She drew pictures every day. She wore flowers in her hair.

Pause. Pick up the silk flower and tuck it over your ear or in your hair (if possible).

She loved nature and drawing and painting the things that were around her.

I know of children who enjoy doing that."

Smile at the children and look around the classroom at their artwork admiringly.

"Georgia wanted so much to see more of this world, and to paint what she saw."

Place your hand to your forehead and slowly look high and low and all around..

"When she grew older she left home and traveled to New York City. While in the city first she painted the city."

Pause to show a painting of a city scape done by O'Keeffe

"Do you remember what Georgia liked to put in her hair?"

"Flowers! Yes, flowers. Are there fields of flowers growing in a city? No...and Georgia missed the flowers."

So she had an idea."

Place the city scape painting back into the basket and slowly reveal a painting of a flower by O'Keeffe

She would paint flowers SO BIG that the busy people who lived in the city would STOP being busy to enjoy something beautiful, even if just for a moment."

Pause to admire the painting, take the flower from your hair and lay it next to the easel.

"Georgia longed to see more places and more beautiful things; so she packed up her paints and moved West.

This time she lived by a desert. She painted landscapes and cactus flowers."

Pause to show another painting of O'Keeffe's

"Georgia painted every day. She almost always wore black and white

and she always wore something special in her hair."

Pick up the silk flower and place it again in your hair.

"Do you know what that special something Georgia wore was?

Yes, you're right, a flower!"

~~~end~~~

I followed the presentation of this Artist's Basket with an art project. Flower prints. Using a shallow pan the children dipped their chosen flowers in the paint and then placed them on to paper to make a print.

For more information about creating O'Keeffe type art projects with your children please visit: KinderArt

Thank you for reading!

In PEACE,

Montessori Mama