Unit One: Identity
Artist: Henri Matisse
Mini Compositions: Collage
Artist: Chuck Close
Self Portraiture: Crayon, Water Colors, Sharpie
Artist: William Wegman
Artful Personification: Mixed Media
Identity Reflection
Each of these three studios is a reflection of different parts of my identity. They tell stories, and as Pink (2005) describes "people assemble the artifacts of their lives into a narrative that tells the world, and maybe themselves, who they are and what they're about" (p. 115). These studios definitely portray some personal narratives about my life. The first piece that I did with the collage represents what I do and what I most relate myself with today. I am in the sorority Chi Omega and each part of this collage depicts some aspect of it. The owl, carnations and Greek letters are different symbols of Chi O. My sorority is a big part of my life and what I identify myself most with at this point in my life. The next studio piece, the self portraiture, is a reflection of my identity in that it represents more of my personality and appearance. Rapunzel has long blonde hair like I do and has many of the same traits as me. She is spirited, determined, and kind, loves to bake and sing, and learns to stand up for herself. These are definitely some of the characteristics that I see in myself and how people would describe my personality. The third art piece, about the story of Pinocchio, is a depiction of my morals and the deeper aspect of my identity. Pinocchio in this picture has obviously told some lies by the length of his nose, and the colorful background with the white chameleon show how the chameleon has gotten caught in the lie of trying to be something that he is not. I pride myself on how honest I can be and not identifying myself with people who lie. I think that each of these studios is a great way to show people my identity in different and artistic ways. These studios would be a great way to get my students interested in showing who they are as individuals. This lesson could be integrated into a social studies lesson about family history, or one about ethics and morals. It could also be used to show the identities of other people. As Johnson (2008) states "talk with children about artists from various cultures and countries" (p. 67). This lesson is certainly a great way to show the identities of people from other countries and relate them to their own lives and identities.
Johnson, M. H. (2008). Developing verbal and visual literacy through experiences in the visual arts. Young Children,
63(1), 74-79.
Pink, D. (2005). A whole new mind: Why right-brainers will rule the future. New York: Penguin Group.