Josey’s Art School
Presents
Studying Art with the Masters
By
Robin Norgren, M.A.
This Lesson:
Betye Saar – “Eye”
Artist: Betye Saar (American, born 1926)
Title: Eye
Medium: acrylic on cut leather w/mirror collage
Size: 8.5 x 13.75 in. (21.6 x 34.9 cm.)
Discussion
Betye Saar is an American artist known for assemblage and collage works. “I'm the kind of person who recycles materials, but I also recycle emotions and feelings,” the artist has explained.
Later in her career, Saar began combining her prints with other objects, such as found photographs, or placing them in window frames.
Saar transitioned to placing her artwork within boxes. Some of these objects were gathered by the artist during trips throughout the world, including Europe, Mexico, and Haiti, or at swap meets and flea markets in Los Angeles.
SOURCE: https://hammer.ucla.edu/now-dig-this/artists/betye-saar
Materials needed
Pencil (to write the child’s name on the back of the work)
Large sized lunch bag
Construction paper – one for each page
Glue
scissors
various colors of tempera paint
water bowls and paintbrushes
Baby wipes
Aprons
Length of Time/Duration of project:
30 minutes
Instructions
You have a few options for how you want to proceed with developing the main thrust of the project. I work with 3-5 year olds in a Montessori setting. This means that you are met with a gamut of skill levels. Some children will have no problem handling more of the details of this project which means less time needed to prep and more of the experience for the way the artistic process works is offered to the child. I have attempted to give you two ends of the spectrum but please feel free to modify as needed.
- Take your lunch bag that you are using as the base for the project and write the child’s name on the back of the paper or let them write their names on their own.
2. Draw a football shape on your lunch bag.
3. Draw parallel lines within your shape. Add the pupil.
4. Design your eye either mimicking the artist’s work or create your own design.
5. Use construction paper to add the pupil. Add details with paint; I also painted the pupil.
6. Create the eyelid with construction paper and glue it within the crease of the paper bag.
You can find my art lessons on Teachers Pay Teachers
CLICK HERE: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Joseys-Art-School
Look at my free art videos on YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbQExZltWJHERASlzbZ6nLtjeqvpAgLY7