Lesson Plan: Mary Abma !! !!! Grades 9-12 OME … Plan: Mary Abma !! !!! Grades 9-12 OME Curricular Expectations VISUAL ARTS 9/10 Creating and Presenting A2.1 explore elements and

Lesson Plan: Mary Abma ! ! ! ! ! Grades 9-12

OME Curricular Expectations

VISUAL ARTS 9/10 Creating and Presenting A2.1 explore elements and principles of design, and apply them to create art works that express personal feelings and/or communicate emotions A3.1 explore and experiment with a variety of media/materials and traditional and/or emerging technologies, tools, and techniques, and apply them to produce art works Reflecting, Responding, and Analysing B1.2 identify, on the basis of examination, elements and principles of design used in various art works, and describe their effects B1.3 interpret a variety of historical and/or contemporary art works B2.3 identify ways in which creating and/or analysing art works has affected their personal identity and values Foundations C2.1 demonstrate an understanding of some techniques that artists use to achieve specific effects

VISUAL ARTS 11/12 Creating and Presenting A1.2 apply the appropriate stages of the creative process to produce and revise two- and three dimensional art works using a variety of traditional and contemporary media A2.1 explore how elements and principles of design can be used to convey emotion and enhance personal expression, and use a combination of these elements and principles to create two- and three-dimensional art works that express personal feelings and communicate specific emotions to an audience A3.1 explore and experiment with media, including alternative media, and current technologies, and use them to create a variety of art works Reflecting, Responding, and Analysing B1.2 deconstruct the visual content and the use of elements and principles of design in their own art work and the work of others Foundations C2.1 demonstrate an understanding of a wide variety of techniques that artists use to achieve a range of specific effects

CROSS-CURRICULAR CONNECTIONS

SCIENCE ! Grade 9: Sustainable Ecosystems/Sustainable Ecosystems and Human Activity! Grade 11 SBI3U: Diversity of Living Things, Plants: Anatomy, Growth, and Function! ! SBI3C: Plants in the Natural Environment! ! SVN3M: Scientific Solutions to Contemporary Environmental Challenges! ! SVN3E: Human Impact on the Environment! Grade 12 SES4U: Earth Materials, Geological Processes! ! ! ! GEOGRAPHY! Grade 9: explain the ways in which the traditional ecological knowledge of Aboriginal peoples, including their concepts of place, wilderness,and boundaries,influences how they interact with their environment.

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About the Artist: Mary Abma is an artist who lives in Bright's Grove, Ontario.  Her artworks, based on ideas, explore themes that allow her to incorporate her interest in history, her concern for the environment, her passion for science, and her love of history. “In My Own Back Yard” is an exhibition about the plants that grow in her back yard--and the ones that should grow there.

In the Spotlight A:

Title: Triptych Altarpiece of Calvin CollegeArtist: Mary Abma

Materials: Installation using Seeds, Soil and Water

Pre-Visit Activity A:

Project the images of the artwork. Use the following questions and information to discuss the work.

Background to the artwork:

The first photograph of this work is a previous version of an installation piece, “Terra Dulcis” (Sweet Land), which will be on display at the Glenhyrst Art Gallery. The second photo shows the triptych portion of “Terra Dulcis”.

This is an Installation with seeds, soil, and one year of precipitation in antique printer drawers and on a printer cabinet with 365 communion glasses. The Triptych Altarpiece is an installation containing soil, seeds, and water--all collected from one piece of land. This installation brings into view those parts of our landscape that we tend to ignore on a day-to-day basis. By placing them along with fragments of images, text, and historical documents, into an altarpiece made from antique printer drawers, I address the idea that in this era of easy access to information, we have collectively lost knowledge about the natural world and have also lost a sense of the sacredness of our land and what it produces--that we feel neither properly thankful for nor nurturing of the interconnected systems that sustain us.

• Why do you think the artist chose to use real soil, seeds and rainfall in an artwork?• How does the artist use photographs of Glenhyrst Gardens and images of historical documents

along with the seeds, soil and water to represent place?• This artwork is in the form of a triptych altarpiece. In the middle ages, triptychs were often carved or

painted on wood panels that hung over the altar in a church. Why do you think the artist used this format for an artwork about seeds, soil and water?

• The artist talks about this artwork as a “vertical history” of a piece of land. What do you think she means by that? It might help to note that on the left-hand side of the triptych, the soil drawer reads from the present (top) down to the ice age (bottom). The top third represents the 19th to 21st centuries, the middle represents the 17th and 18th centuries, and the bottom third represents the time from the ice age until the 16th century (pre-contact).

• What can viewing history in this way offer the viewer that a textbook cannot offer? What can you infer about the history of the Glenhyrst land by looking at this photograph (second image)?

• The artist notes that there is a tension between the land as it naturally developed and the current state of the land as it has been altered by humans. How do you see this tension reflected in the artwork? The use of plastic to envelop the seeds and the rainwater reflects our desire to own, package and sell everything. The mixing of the seeds on the cabinet represents the mixing of plants (native and non-native) and the resulting ecological problems.

• Why do you think the artist chose to present some of the soil in a curved shape in the left-hand drawer, toward the bottom?

In the Spotlight B

Title: Mayapple with Hay KnifeArtist: Mary Abma

Year: 2011Materials: Lumen Photograph with Hay Knife

Pre-Visit Activity B

Project an image of the artwork. Use the following questions and information to discuss the work.

This artwork uses a Lumen Photograph (photo taken without a camera) to portray MayApple, a plant that is native to the Carolinian Forest, our eco-zone. Some plants like this are in danger of being squeezed out by other species that don’t belong here, but that take over when they are introduced (invasive species). The photo is paired with a blade that was used in the past in farming. The words on the hay knife are those of the early French explorers who came to what is now Canada. Their words show their attitudes toward the land and the people.

• Describe what you see in this work.• What kind of artwork is this?• What materials do you think the artist used to make it?• Why would the artist use a blade in this work? What story do you think this artwork might tell?

• What kinds of blades are used for farming (agriculture)?• What do you think a hay knife is for? (blade for cutting or turning hay that is in a haystack)• What do you think the words on the blade might say?

But it is appropriate to state first that, as I had observed in my previous journeys, there were in some places people permanently settled, who were fond of the cultivation of the soil, but who had neither faith nor law, and lived without God and religion, like brute beasts. In view of this, I felt convinced that I should be committing a grave offense if I did not take it upon myself to devise some means of bringing them to the knowledge of God. To this end I exerted myself to find some good friars, with zeal and affection for the glory of God, that I might persuade them to send someone, or go themselves, with me to these countries, and try to plant there the faith, or at least do what was possible according to their calling, and thus to observe and ascertain whether any good fruit could be gathered there. (Samuel de Champlain)

• In what ways did the European explorers compare the First Nations to soil and plants?• Discuss the relationship between the religious ideologies and economic goals of the Europeans.• Next to the shovel, there is a non-mechanical kind of photograph called a “Lumen”. What makes it

different from other kinds of photographs? Lumen photos are taken without a camera. Plant material is layered on photo-sensitive paper and the sun exposes the paper. This gives them a ghostly effect.

• Why do you think the artist chose this kind of photograph to represent a native plant? • How does the artist’s placement of a ghostly image of a native plant next to the words of European

explorers on cultivation blades convey meaning?• Discuss the artist’s use of text as an artistic element.• The artist calls these boxes “silent witnesses”. What do you think she means by this?• Images of this series of 12 shadowboxes were submitted to Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation

Commission. Why do you think Abma did this?• Abma’s work is about the land and about how we change it to make it more comfortable for us.

Sometimes, artists use the land itself to make their artworks.• View a variety of works by artists who work with elements of the land/nature. Discuss similarities/

differences with Abma’s work.• Andy Goldsworthy: http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lfot7dxbLI1qbd20do1_1280.jpg• Peter Von Tiesenhausen, Vessel: http://www.banffcentre.ca/media_room/images/general/images/

von_tiesenhausen_vessel_l.jpg• Robert Smithson, Spiral Jetty: http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ll53mwWpWb1qbqwc2o1_1280.jpg

Extension Activities after Gallery VisitVisual Arts

A. Text in Art

Materials:• old vinyl 45 rpm record (available at most

thrift stores)• Golden’s GAC 100 or similar product• acrylic paint• ink• pencil and sketch paper• reference materials from research

Goal:Students will use text-based visual arts as a means of expression to reflect a topic or issue that they have researched.

Lesson:1. Prior to the class, research an issue or topic

that is of interest. Copy visual images and textual references that relate to the issue. Bring all references to class.

2. Trace circular sketch templates onto sketch paper by tracing around your record. Make at least 3 of these for brainstorming purposes.

3. Prepare the record with GAC 100 or a similar medium so that it will become a surface that is able to support paint. Allow time for it to dry.

4. While medium is drying, prepare brainstorming sketches using the templates you made earlier. Plan which images can be modified to best reflect the issue symbolically and what text can be used as a visual element. It is important to think about impact when you choose your symbols. (Note: Text and images can be painted in acrylic or drawn onto the paper label, but can also be printed onto computer paper and collaged onto the record. Paint can then be applied to unify the collage.) Keep in mind that the final composition must employ principles and elements of design for maximum effect.

5. Using acrylic paint, ink, and/or collage techniques, create the final artwork on the record. As a further challenge, try to incorporate the title of the record into the thematic structure of the work. (The example above shows one of Darwin’s sketches among quotes about the mysteries of life from various scientists, philosophers, and others.)

Post-Activity Writing Exercise

Artist’s Statement: Use the attached worksheet to write about your artwork.

B. Lovely Lumens

Lumen photography, an art form in which photographs are made without the use of a camera, is one of the oldest forms of photography. Objects (usual ly p lants) are p laced onto photosensitive paper, under glass, and the light of the sun is used to expose the print.

The National Gallery of Canada developed some art lesson plans that relate to early photography for grades 1-12. These lessons are well laid out with tabs that outline different aspects of each activity, including a rubric for evaluation.

h t t p : / / c y b e r m u s e . g a l l e r y. c a / c y b e r m u s e / t e a c h e r s / p l a n s /intro_e.jsp?lessonid=183

To read an explanation for how Mary Abma uses Lumen Prints in her exhibition, check out

the following links:

http://www.maryabma.com/Lumens.html

http://www.maryabma.com/CultivationConquest.html

Resources:

On how to write an artist’s statement: http://www.maryabma.com/Teachers_Corner.html

Plant Identification:

http://www.botany.com/

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/?ss=16&navtype=SUBNAVIGATION&cid=stelprdb1044954&navid=120160320130000&pnavid=120000000000000&position=Not%20Yet%20Determined.Html&ttype=detail&pname=PLANTS%20Interactive%20ID%20Keys:%20Introduction%20|%20NRCS

About Plants:

http://www.vrml.k12.la.us/curriculum/quicktip/science/plants/plants.htm

http://www.carolinian.org/

Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Canada:

http://www.trc.ca/websites/trcinstitution/index.php?p=26

Artistʼs Statement

Answer the following questions. Use what you wrote to make an artistʼs statement about your work on a separate sheet of paper.

1. What is the name of your work?

2. What was the assignment?

3. Which principles/elements of design did you use most?

4. What colours did you use and why?

5. What medium (paint, pencil, clay, etc.) did you use?

6. What is the message in your artwork? What are you trying to express?

7. What do you feel is the most successful aspect of this work?

8. Why is this work important?

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4

Knowledge and Understanding: The studentKnowledge and Understanding: The studentKnowledge and Understanding: The studentKnowledge and Understanding: The studentKnowledge and Understanding: The student

Knowledge of content: elements and principles of design, terms, definitions, techniques

demonstrates limited knowledge of content

demonstrates some knowledge content

demonstrates considerable knowledge of content

demonstrates thorough knowledge of content

Understanding of ideas and concepts/symbolism related to the artwork

demonstrates limited understanding of ideas, concepts and symbolism

demonstrates some understanding of ideas, concepts and symbolism

demonstrates considerable understanding of ideas, concepts and symbolism

demonstrates thorough understanding of ideas, concepts and symbolism

Thinking: The studentThinking: The studentThinking: The studentThinking: The studentThinking: The student

Use of planning skills

uses planning skills with limited effectiveness

uses planning skills with some effectiveness

uses planning skills with considerable effectiveness

uses planning skills with a high degree of effectiveness

Use of processing skills: analysing, evaluating, inferring, interpreting, refining, synthesizing

uses processing skills with limited effectiveness

uses processing skills with some effectiveness

uses processing skills with considerable effectiveness

uses processing skills with a high degree of effectiveness

Use of critical/creative thinking processes

uses creative thinking processes with limited effectiveness

uses creative thinking processes with some effectiveness

uses creative thinking processes with considerable effectiveness

uses creative thinking processes with a high degree of effectiveness

Communication: The studentCommunication: The studentCommunication: The studentCommunication: The studentCommunication: The student

Expression of ideas through art

expresses ideas through art with limited effectiveness

expresses ideas through art with some effectiveness

expresses ideas through art with considerable effectiveness

expresses ideas through art with a high degree of effectiveness

Expression of ideas through writing

expresses ideas through writing with limited effectiveness

expresses ideas through writing with some effectiveness

expresses ideas through writing with considerable effectiveness

expresses ideas through writing with a high degree of effectiveness

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4

Application: The studentApplication: The studentApplication: The studentApplication: The studentApplication: The student

Application of knowledge of principles, elements, and symbolism to artwork

applies knowledge and skills to artwork with limited effectiveness

applies knowledge and skills to artwork with some effectiveness

applies knowledge and skills to artwork with considerable effectiveness

applies knowledge and skills to artwork with a high degree of effectiveness

Transfer of knowledge and skills to new contexts (creation of a new work)

transfers knowledge and skills to new contexts with limited effectiveness

transfers knowledge and skills to new contexts with some effectiveness

transfers knowledge and skills to new contexts with considerable effectiveness

transfers knowledge and skills to new contexts with a high degree of effectiveness

Making connections between the gallery visit and the making of visual art

makes connections between the gallery visit and creation of artwork with limited effectiveness

makes connections between the gallery visit and creation of artwork with some effectiveness

makes connections between the gallery visit and creation of artwork with considerable effectiveness

makes connections between the gallery visit and creation of artwork with a high degree of effectiveness