Adirondack Curriculum Project
NYS Content Area Standard
The Arts 4. Understanding the cultural contributions of the arts
CDOS
ELA
Health, PE, Home & Careers
LOTE
MST
Social Studies
Title: The Living Landscape (related to A Year in the Life of the VIC)

Grade Level: 7-12th

Author: Sandra Hildreth, ACP

Email: shildreth@roadrunner.com
Adirondack Curriculum Content Area
_X__ Natural History
___ Human History
_X__ Culture & the Arts
___ Government & Civics
___ Economy
___ Health, Recreation & Life Skills

Investigative Question or Issue: Has the Adirondack landscape been used as subject matter by artists for political, economic, or aesthetic reasons? Other?

Challenge: Use the Adirondack environment as the subject of your own artwork. Complete an "Artist's Statement" to explain your motivation.
 
A.) Explore the Adirondack paintings created by artist's like Thomas Cole, Frederic Church, Alfred Tait, Winslow Homer, and Rockwell Kent. Examine the early Adirondack photos of Seneca Ray Stoddard.

B.) Look at the work of some contemporary artists and photographer's who use the Adirondack's as subject matter, especially local artists. Either through research or by actually contacting the artists, find out what motivates them. Why do they choose the Adirondacks as their subject matter.

C.) Discuss or reflect upon artists' decisions to create paintings or photographs about the Adirondacks. Are there political, economic, or aesthetic reasons behind the decision? Visit the exhbit: "The Living Landscape: A Year in the Life of the VIC" or any other appropriate exhibit.

D.) Use the Adirondacks as subject matter for your own artwork. When work is completed, include a statement with it, for display purposes, about your motivation and what you feel your work is communicating.

Artist Resource Links:
Artcyclopedia - look up artists by name or style: http://artcyclopedia.com/
Seneca Ray Stoddard: http://www.chapmanmuseum.org/seneca_ray_stoddard.htm
Tim Fortune: http://www.fortunestudio.com
Sandra Hildreth: http://SandraHildreth.com
Nathan Farb: http://www.birchbark.com/farb/
Barry Lobdell: http://www.barrylobdell.com/
John Hudson: http://www.adirondackstudio.com/oils.htm
Bob Grabowski: http://members.tripod.com/adkbg/id18.htm
John Radigan: http://www.adklight.com/index.htm
Matthew Burnett: http://www.mattburnettpaintings.com/
Sheri Amsel: http://www.adirondackillustrator.com
Gary Randorf: http://www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/randorf/randorf.php
Carl Heilman: http://www.carlheilman.com/
Adirondack Art Gallery: http://www.adirondackartgallery.com/index.html
 

Quality Standards:  

A.) Complete some kind of research on historic artwork or photographs of the Adirondack region, using books and/or the internet. Identify reasons for the selection of the subject matter. (Individual teacher-determined requirements).

B.) Investigate contemporary artwork or photographs of the Adirondack region, using the web site links provided, or other local arts resources. (Individual teacher-determined requirements; contacting a local artist directly could be an excellent way of identifying their reasons for selecting the Adirondacks as subject matter).

C.) Participate in gallery and art activities at the Paul Smiths VIC, in connection with the exhibit: "A Year in the Life of the VIC: The Living Landscape". (Or any other appropriate exhibit).

D). Create own artwork or photos (teachers may determine size, media, etc.); Help create a group exhibit of Adirondack inspired art; Include a personal statement about your motivation for using the Adirondacks as subject matter.

E.) BONUS: Design posters or invitations for the exhibit.

Adapted for the Adirondack Curriculum Project from the work of Education By Design TM and Leading EDGE, LLC ©ACP 2002

   Product Quality
Checklist
Date: ________                                                                     Class Period: ________
Product Author(s):

 

 Product Title/Name:
The Living Landscape
Evaluator Name(s)
 
 Observed Standard/Criteria
Possible
Points
Rating
  Researched historic art or photography; identified reasons the artists selected the Adirondacks as their subject matter   10  
  Investigated contemporary art or photography and identified reasons the artists selected the Adirondacks as their subject matter   10  
  Participated in VIC exhibit and activities   10  
  Created own artwork or photographs with the Adirondacks as subject matter (according to teacher specified requirements)   50  
  Helped create a group exhibition of Adirondack inspired artwork   10  
  Included a written personal statement about what motivated you to use the Adirondacks as subject matter.   10  
  EXTRA CREDIT: Created posters or invitations for the exhibit     
       
 
TOTALS
   

Comments:

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