Create this new H@H project along with Lisa starting Saturday, June 19 at 10:15 am!
Watch the video below or on the Museum’s YouTube Channel.
Project Overview:
In celebration of Juneteenth, join us for a special Heckscher @ Home Kids Edition! Learn about African American artist Robert Carter and join educator Lisa Sayedi as she explores his artwork, Mama Taught Me Piano and Much More. Carter’s painting is a beautiful new 2021 Museum acquisition that will be on view in The Heckscher Museum Celebrates 100 exhibition this fall! Then, create your own drawing capturing a special day in your life when you learned something new with a friend or family member.
Materials:
- white paper
- pencil
- eraser
- coloring materials (markers, colored pencils, or crayons)
Key Concepts:
- details
- portrait
- mixed media
- collage
- relief
- self-portrait
Discussion:
In celebration of Juneteenth, a holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States, we will be learning about African American artist Robert Carter and his painting, Mama Taught Me Piano and Much More.
Taking a closer look at our inspiration artwork, let’s make observations about details that you notice. What do you see when you look at this painting? Who do you think these people are? Where are they? How can you tell? What other details do you notice? What do you notice about the way the little girl is looking at the woman? What special moment are they sharing together? Why do you think this work of art is called Mama Taught Me Piano and Much More? What do you think “much more” could mean? What else could a young person learn from a friend or family member?
Now that we have discovered a bit about this family portrait, or work of art showing people, let’s look at the way the artist has created it. You may notice that he has used other materials besides paint. When an artist uses more than one material to create their artwork, we call it mixed media! Can you tell what other materials the artist has used? Parts of this painting are made out of wood, and there is real wallpaper glued, or collaged, in the background! The wood makes some parts of this artwork pop out in space, making them three-dimensional, or 3-D. Artwork with three-dimensional layers like this is called a relief.
The girl in this artwork is learning to play the piano from her family member. Her artwork is telling us a story through images. For this project, you will be creating your own self-portrait that tells a story of your own! Think of a time when you learned something new with someone special to you (a family member or friend)! It could be anything, perhaps an instrument, sport, or hobby. Where were you? Inside or outside? What details should you include to tell the whole story? How were you feeling that day? Make sure to include expressions on your faces to show how you both were feeling!
When you are done creating your drawing with pencil, make sure to add color using whatever coloring materials you have available. When you are done, make sure to show your finished artwork to the special person who you included in it with you!
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
