For Educators - Fiber Arts in the Exhibit: Overview
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Curators' Statements:
Jean McLaughlin, Contemporary Craft Curator
When one studies the development of ancient cultures, the introduction of paper, baskets, and woven textiles is a watershed moment. It indicates that the culture has arrived at a moment of high technical achievement--reflected in language and communication, shelter and protection (housing and clothing), agriculture and commerce, religion and politics, etc. The definition of what it means to be a human being cannot be separated from the use of textiles. The woven artifact with its close association with crossing fibers is a metaphor for the complex interaction necessary for civilization—a structural interdependence and support.
Kathleen Mundell, Traditional Arts Curator
Although much of traditional quilting came from recycling scraps and finding a beautiful and practical use for remnants, many quilters today chose their materials based on personal aesthetic choices that creatively reference family and community history.
Today, traditional textiles artists have an extraordinary range of materials and patterns to choose from. Their work reveals craftsmanship that goes beyond functionality. Many of the Ladies of Knox County, for example, seek out the best natural materials, although polyester blends are often the most readily available. Quilters see their work as heirlooms and only the best quality materials are used.
Guiding Question:
How does each of the fiber artists in this exhibit use processes unique to the fiber arts to create art objects?
Vocabulary:
functional, decorative, fibers weaving, spinning, tapestries, embellishments, ritual artifacts, ceremonial, narrative, processes, crocheted, geometric patterns, synthetic, garment
Lesson Plans:
Media-Based Activities:
Invite a local or regional fabric artist to visit your class, demonstrate and/or lead a hands-on activity. If you do not know a local artist, consult the website of your state arts agency to find one. You may be able to write a grant to have an artist residency. (See General Arts Education Resources)
Hands-on Weaving Activities
Try hands-on weaving projects with your students using a lesson from one of the following sites:
•http://www.weavespindye.org
•http://www.princetonol.com
•http://www.princetonol.com/groups
•http://www.allfiberarts.com
•http://www.dickblick.com/multicultural
•http://www.dickblick.com/lessonplans
•http://www.dickblick.com/lessonplans/
2007lessonplans/burlap_weaving.pdf
Weaving Tradtitions: Helpful websites include: Hands-on Quilting Activities http://www.museum.state.il.us/muslink/pdfs/ks_crazy.pdf Quilters Speak about their Work Paper Story Quilts You can assign the theme for the class story quilt or allow them to brainstorm for an idea. It could be stories about their families, their hobbies, the school, a book you’ve been reading, a story they make up, or a period from history, etc. Each student will make one black. Each student might have an individual story on his/her block, or they might work in groups, where each student “tells” one part of the story. Provide tagboard (or other stiff paper) squares 9” x 9” as the background for the blocks. Provide a variety of paper for the students to use. The patterned papers available from art or scrapbooking suppliers are wonderful. Students will “appliqué” their story designs by cutting out and gluing shapes on the background block. All the blocks can then be mounted on poster board or bulletin board paper to make a group quilt. Extensions When all the squares are appliquéd, you can have each one finished as a pillow or have a group of parents or community volunteers piece the blocks together and bind the edges. If you have enough time or assistance, you could actually have the pieces top made into a quilt. Patriotic Quilts Clothesline of Quilts Quilt trails are spreading all across the country, so you might want to search for an organization in your area that would like to work with your school. If you want to benefit from the experience of others in terms of materials to use, etc. you can visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/KQTP and look through the files. If you decide to participate in this project, it is important to share with your students the story of the project. It all began when one woman, Donna Sue Groves of Ohio, decided to paint a quilt square on her barn to honor her mother, Maxine Adams, a lifetime quilter. It is a great example of the way one person can have a great impact through art and sharing. Political Statements in Fiber Arts
Some fiber artists use a weaving process called tapestry. Have student work in teams to research the weaving traditions of different cultures and/or different periods of history. You could assign specific cultures or periods to teams or let them decide on their own. Ask them to try to find information about:
• The fiber materials used
• The types of looms used
• The purposes of weaving
• The patterns, themes or motifs associated with the culture and/or period
•http://www.allfiberarts.com/cs/ethnic.htm
•http://www.allfiberarts.com/cs/tapestry.htm
•http://www.io.com/%7Etapestry/#Contemporary
•http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapestry
•http://www.allfiberarts.com/library/aa97/aa031097.htm
•http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/lessons/middle/textiles.htm
After viewing the quilts in this exhibit, lead a hands-on quilting project. To read about wonderful, grade-specific quilting projects with many cross-curricular connections, go to: http://www.pbs.org/americaquilts/classroom/index.html
a great lesson for 4-8th grade
Have your students view and read about the quilts in this exhibit. Then visit http://www.pbs.org/americaquilts/aoq/index.html
where you will find a fabulous collection of video clips of quilters discussing their work. Have students create their own quilt designs (you could use one of the projects in # 4) and then make their own artist statements about their work. Alternatively, invite a quilter (or other fiber artist) into the classroom and lead students in conducting and videotaping an interview with the artist.
Two of the quilts in the exhibit (by Gwendolyn Magee, and Geraldine Nash) are narrative or “story quilts.” Look at the quilts, read the artists’ pages, and discuss the stories that the different quilts tell.
If you have aides or parent volunteers, take the project a step farther. Cut a number of 9” x 9” squares from a plain background color. Collect a variety of fabrics and iron Wonder Under to the back side. Using cut paper patterns, have students trace their shapes on to the paper backing and cut the shape out. Remind them they are working from the back so shapes will be reversed. When working with younger students, it is best to have them take their cut pieces to an adult and show them where they want the pieces ironed onto the 9 x 9 square.
Invite student to create their own patriotic quilts using the lesson plan at
http://www.museum.state.il.us/muslink/pdfs/hh_applique.pdf
Many communities across the country are participating in a project called the National Clothesline of Quilts. Locally this might be called a quilt trail or a quilt barn project. The idea is to honor community quilters by painting giant (8” x 8”) quilt “blocks” and mounting them on barns or other structures. Sometimes they are painted directly on surfaces like flood walls, and sometimes they are put up as free-standing units. In many areas, school art classes have chosen a quilt pattern to paint for their school or their community. To learn more about the project, visit one of these websites:
•http://www.appalachianohio.org
•http://www.abcquiltalley.com
•http://ces.ca.uky.edu
•http://www.handmadeinamerica.org
Have students view the works by Gwen Magee. Ask them to compare and contrast the works in terms of the ideas they communicate. Use one of the following lesson plans to explore social and political issues in art
Cross-Curricular Connections:
Quilts and Math: Quilts provide a wonderful hands-on application of concepts from basic shapes through advanced mathematical concepts
For elementary and middle school students, prepare a large quantity of squares (6” x 6” or 4” x 4”) of different colored paper. Divide and sub-divide ¾ of the squares into right triangles. Depending on the age of the students, you can pre-cut these on a paper cutter and involve them in the cutting. (Triangles are easily made by folding corner-to-corner and cutting along the fold line.) For young students, 4 triangles per square will give them enough variety to experiment with, but for older students, make a variety of sizes.
Using the squares as a “quilt block,” have students arrange and rearrange the triangles to see the different patterns they can create. Then have them work as teams to make nine identical “quilt blocks” that can be glued onto a piece of poster board or other background to make a “nine-patch” quilt. They will find that they can arrange their quilt blocks in different ways to create different nine-patch patterns. They can also experiment using different colors with the same pattern to see the effect this produces, or mixing different patterns together.
For high school and advanced math students, visit this website
Invite students to study the mathematical concepts explored in the quilts on this site and to design a quilt using the same mathematical concept. Ask them to write a statement explaining how their quilt design illustrates a mathematical concept.
Extensions
Have them actually make a quilt or quilt block from their design.
Invite them to explore the mathematical basis for Billie Ruth Sudduth’s basketry in the Basket Gallery. Have them identify a quilt that illustrates the same concept.
Quilts and Technology (middle and high)
For ideas about creating “digital” quilts, visit http://www.princetonol.com...
PBS’s The Art of Quilting Series
Traditional and Folk Art Quilts
Using the PowerPoint presentation:
The Fiber Arts PowerPoint™ provides a way for you to lead a class discussion on the purposes of art as exemplified in this virtual gallery. After using the PowerPoint™, ask student to discuss the purposes of pieces not included in the PowerPoint™.
If you want to lead students in discussing the elements of art and principles of design as applied to this gallery, you could use the Wood Gallery or Clay Gallery PowerPoint™ as a model.
