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Stamp Quilts Inspired by Faith Ringgold
Submitted by: Lotte Petricone, Clarkstown CSD, New York
UNIT: Art and Literature - Faith Ringgold - Identity - Memories
Grade Level: sixth grade (adaptable to elementary)
Rationale for Teaching Lesson:
Students will read Tar Beach
Lesson Objectives:
1. Understanding of the self as inspiration for art.
2. Recognition of shape, color, pattern and repetition in Ringgold’s and other quilts.
3. Creation of a "quilt" using a family memory as inspiration: acrylic paint with a sticky foam stamp border.
4. Knowledge of Faith Ringgold as a writer and artist.
Ringgold References
Faith Ringgold Artist Profile | Faith on Faith: her own Website | Artcylopedia on Faith
New York State Learning Standards:
Standard 1: Students will actively engage in the processes that constitute creation and performance in the arts and participate in various roles in the arts.
Standard 2: Students will be knowledgeable about and make use of the materials and resources available for participation in the arts in various roles.
Standard 3: Students will respond critically to a variety of works in the arts, connecting the individual to other works and to respond to other aspects of human endeavor and thought.
Standard 4: Students will develop and understanding of the personal and cultural force that shape artistic communication and how the arts in turn shape the diverse cultures of past and present society.
How the Standards are addressed in this lesson:
1. Creation of a sticky foam "quilt" on fabric based on a memory of their own family time, inspired by Faith Ringgold’s Tar Beach.
2. Creation of several sticky foam stamps in different shapes, using color, repetition and patterns to form their story in a "quilt" on fabric.
3. Look at and discuss the art of Faith Ringgold and other quilts, written Artist Statement.
4. Understanding of faith Ringgold’s sources of inspiration as well as their own – the self.
Books
Aunt Harriet's Underground Railroad in the Sky
Cassie's Word Quilt
Faith Ringgold: A View From the Studio
Lesson Procedures:
Lesson Segments:
1. Read Tar Beach
2. Look at more of Ringgold’s quilts as well as other examples – discuss shape, color, pattern and repetition. Introduction: Show demo, discuss steps, begin by measuring and taping square on muslin.
3. Sketch of story on paper.
4. Final draft on gesso-ed Fabric
5. Create border with sticky foam, discuss shapes & repetition. Demo how to cut and make stamps, practice, make final art.
6. Artist Statement
Materials:
1. Tar Beach
2. PP of Ringgold’s work as well as other quilts. Fabric for final "quilt" - white Muslin
3. Paper cut to size of square
4. Self-Adhesive Foamboard
5. Xeroxes, rubric
Segment 1: Reading of Tar Beach (1 class)
Teaching Style:
Guided Practice -
1. Read and discuss Tar Beach.
2. Discuss with the children Faith Ringgold's artistic background, including her use of fabric as medium. Explain how the images you see are actually scenes from her childhood. Family was/is very important to her. This is where she draws her INSPIRATION.
3. Have them think about a family time that is/was important to them, and write a paragraph describing that time (finish for HW).
4. Explain that this will be the inspiration for their own Quilt – show example.
Assessment Method: Verbal - share some stories
Segment 2: Look at the art of Faith Ringgold, tape & Gesso (1-2 classes)
Teaching Style:
Guided Practice –
1. Look at and discuss some of Ringgold’s quilts, as well as other examples focusing on shape, color, pattern and repetition.
2. Show demo, discuss painting and border.
3. Demo measuring and taping to prep for Gesso.
4. If time, Gesso. – make sure there is newspaper and they go on the Drying Rack
Assessment Method: Verbal
Modifications:
Segment 3: Sketch (1-2 classes)
Teaching Style:
Guided Practice – Discuss sketching – using body language, show space, details to include.
Independent Practice – Students make sketches
Assessment Method: Verbal
Modifications:
Segment 4: Final draft on fabric (3-4 classes)
Teaching Style:
Guided Practice – Make final draft on fabric.
Demo painting:
ê Only primary & black and white
ê Must mix colors and values
ê Discuss primary, secondary and intermediate colors
ê Demo painting techniques – wet paint, smooth textures, dry brush
Independent Practice – Students make drawings on fabric and paint
Assessment Method: Verbal
Modifications:
Segment 5: Stamps
Teaching Style:
Guided Practice - Demo making stamps, and how shapes should relate to the story. Discuss repetition and pattern.
Independent Practice – Students make stamps, then make practice "quilt" border on paper, and finally onto fabric using markers.
Assessment Method: Rubric
Modifications:
Segment 6: Artist Statement
Teaching Style:
Guided Practice – Go over Artist Statement assignment and graphic organizer, discuss good writing and grading.
Independent Practice – Begin Statement by filling in organizer and starting first draft in class – due next day.
Assessment Method:
Modifications:
Stamp Quilt Writing Assignment
Name:
Homeroom:
Date:
Story "Quilt"
Write a story about a personal memory from your life to use for your "quilt".
Use these questions as a guide to think about your story, but write using paragraphs, complete sentences, punctuation, and correct grammar. Include as many details as you can about the people, the place, the time of day, the action that is occurring. Make it interesting to read!
Use these questions as a rough guide: Who is in your memory? Where are you? When does it take place (season/time of day)? What is happening?
Extension:
Make a large group quilt with all of the squares. Sew together with strips of fabric between the squares. Students sign squares and write on the strips about their symbols and stories, if desired. Sew to backing fabric and quilt with quilt batting. Display in a prominent place in the school. Optional: when student graduate from middle school, the quilt can be cut apart and the work returned to the students.
6th Grade "Quilt" Rubric
Name: Homeroom: Grade
Excellent |
Good |
Adequate |
Unsatisfactory |
Score |
|
| Theme | The final art describes very clearly your specific story, with lots of details (20) |
The final art describes your story, clearly, with some details, but the viewer may have some questions after looking carefully (17) |
It is hard to understand exactly what the final art is describing, there is little detail, but with a lot of work, you might figure it out (14) |
The final art may or may not describe a story, there is almost no detail, and it is very hard to decipher or understand what the memoir is about (12) |
|
Space |
There is very clear Space in the art, using a horizon line, and Perspective (overlapping objects and getting smaller further away) (20) |
There is clear Space in the art, using a horizon line, and/or Perspective (overlapping objects and getting smaller further away)- but not completely correctly (17) |
There is not clear Space in the art, however, there was an attempt to use a horizon line, and/or Perspective (overlapping objects and getting smaller further away)- but not completely correctly (14) |
There is no attempt to create a sense of Space in the art, with a horizon line, and/or Perspective (overlapping objects and getting smaller further away) (12) |
|
Acrylic Painting Color |
The acrylic painting uses mixed colors that relate to the story (20) |
The acrylic painting uses mostly mixed colors that relate to the story (17) |
The acrylic painting uses some mixed colors, but there may be a few unmixed straight from the tube – but relate to the story (14) |
The acrylic painting uses only a few mixed colors, and there are several unmixed straight from the tube – and/or do not relate to the story (12) |
|
Acrylic Painting Value |
The acrylic painting uses mixed values that relate to the story: communicating time and/or mood (20) |
The acrylic painting uses mostly mixed values that relate to the story: communicating time and/or mood (17) |
The acrylic painting uses some mixed values, but there may be a few unmixed straight from the tube – but relate to the story: but may not be communicating time and/or mood clearly (14) |
The acrylic painting uses only a few mixed values, and there are several unmixed straight from the tube – and/or do not relate to the story: but is not communicating time and/or mood (12) |
|
Stamps & Shape |
There are at least 3 stamps in the border and the shape of the stamps relate to the story very clearly (10) |
There are at least 2 stamps in the border and/or the shape of the stamps relate to the story pretty clearly but the viewer may have to work just a tiny bit to figure it out (9) |
There are less than 2 stamps in the border and/or the shape of the stamps relate to the story somewhat clearly but the viewer may have to work kind of hard to figure it out (7) |
There is no border on the finished art the shapes seem very random with no relationship to the story (6) |
|
Pattern |
The quilt has a border made up of alternating patterns, with no mistakes (10) |
The print has a border made up of alternating patterns, with one or two mistakes (8) |
The print has a border made up of a pattern, but not alternating, and may have one or two mistakes (7) |
The border has many many mistakes, and does form a clear pattern (6) |
|
Grade: |
