H@H Kids Edition: Daring Desserts (Episode 20)

Create this project along with Lisa!

Watch this video right here or on the Museum’s YouTube Channel.

Project Overview:

For this week’s Heckscher at Home Kids Edition, we will learn about Long Island Biennial 2020 artist Christa Maiwald! Together we will look closely at her artwork and discover her unusual materials and boundless imagination. After getting inspired by her piece Migration, we will get creative and make our own artwork!

Materials:

  • white paper
  • pencil
  • eraser
  • ruler
  • colored pencils/crayons/markers
  • Optional: play dough, model magic, or other clay

Key Concepts:

  • details
  • composition
  • shapes
  • negative space
  • movement
  • imagination

Discussion:

Christa Maiwald is one of 841 artists that entered artwork into the Long Island Biennial 2020. Let’s take a closer look at her work and make observations about details that you notice!

Migration is a lot of fun to look at. What is the first thing that catches your attention? Beginning at the top of her canvas, you may notice objects that seem to be floating down the “dessert” river from the top to the bottom. Do these desserts look like pastries at a bakery? They seem to be moving like boats and help guide our eyes through the work of art. Maiwald uses movement in her composition to help us focus on every part of Migration, not just one area. The area around the desserts is empty (negative space) and it helps to emphasize the floating cakes. Choosing vibrant colors for her cakes is another way Christa draws attention to the central focus of her piece. What shapes do you see repeated over and over again? Christa used her imagination to take something ordinary like a slice of cake and turn it into something completely different.

We are going to use Migration as our inspiration today, and take our favorite desserts and turn them into something totally new! Pick your all-time favorite pastry and think about what shape it is. Then, brainstorm objects that are the same shape as your dessert. Once you have settled on your idea, it’s time to get drawing!

Share!

Please share photos of your finished works of art with us on social media and check back soon for our next project! #HeckscheratHome #MuseumfromHome