Journey North Tulip Garden and Climate Change Study

Focusing with O'Keeffe on the Details
Art and the Unexpected Beauty of Nature

"Nobody sees a flower, really--it is so small--we haven't time, and to see takes time, like to have a friend takes time." Georgia O'Keeffe (1887-1986)

People often describe the art of Georgia O'Keeffe as being somewhere between stark realism and abstract design. O'Keeffe was an artist finely attuned to the sounds and sights of the natural world. Her art dramatically expresses her wonder in life and the world.

Each year as spring advances, we are drawn to its wonder and beauty.

Take some clues from Georgia O'Keeffe's art for a lesson in the tulip garden. Use this technique to focus and capture the beauty of a tulip flower, or any other wonder of spring.

Student art

Focusing on a Flower

Materials:



Make a pencil drawing to start

Focus in using color

Sheets of 9x11 white drawing paper

Sheets of 12x24 white drawing paper
Pencils
Colored chalk, craypas or crayons
Assorted sizes of rectangular paper frames (to place on drawing to help focus on specific regions)
Fresh flowers, shells, plants, bones, feathers, or other assorted nature items

Activity:

Gather library resources and explore O'Keeffe's paintings.
Brainstorm a list of things that catch your eye about her work.
-Do they create an emotion?
-Do her colors and shapes remind you of something?
-How does she use 'focus' in her art?
-Can you define the term "abstract?"
Discuss how you could use her technique in a piece of your own art.
Select an object to draw.
Using a standard 8x11 sheet of white paper, fill the page with a detailed pencil drawing of your object. (A detailed drawing is important.)
When your drawing is complete, use a paper frame to select a small rectanle within the drawing that contains interesting lines and color.
With a pencil, outline the rectangle and study your selection closely. Look at the way the lines intersect. Closely examine the model you drew from; what are the colors? Are the colors the same up close as at a distance?
Using a large sheet of paper and colors, reproduce the small window of focus from your drawing onto the full-sized sheet of paper.
When you are done, write a description of your final artwork. (Use the Journaling Questions to help you.)
Ask volunteers to create a gallery to display their works.

Journaling Questions:

Were you surprised at how things look when you examine them closely?
Was it hard to "see" and reproduce a part of your first picture into such a large piece of art?
Now try to define the word "abstract." Would you describe your final color picture as "abstract?"