#1
This is a famous painting that lots of folks have
seen entitled American Gothic by Grant Wood.
There’s another piece of art by the same name
from a different artist – This selection is entitled
American Gothic by Gordon Parks.
What’s in a name? Create a Venn diagram of the elements of art to compare & contrast these two
works – Use that vocabulary to explain the artists’ choice of titles. What inspires you when you
‘title’ your own artwork?
#2
Large Red Interior – Henri Matisse wrote about his own work,
“I have always tried to hide my efforts and wished my works to have the light joyousness of
springtime, which never lets anyone suspect the labors it has cost me.” What does he mean by that?
Where do you see evidence of this statement in his work?
#3
California Crosswalk – John Outterbridge
The artist came from a large family of artists – his musician father collected discarded pieces of
metal and reassembled them into useful objects. His mother was a pianist, a poet and quilter.
Describe how you see the influence of his heritage in his work. Think about how you would create
a comparable work – identify a supply list of what you might need and where you might find it
without “shopping” – Then write the directions of how to assemble the work – similar to a recipe on
how to construct your idea.
#4
The Profile of Time – Salvador Dali – is famous for his work in Surrealism.
Based on this picture – what do you think the definition of surrealism is? Write an explanation for
what is happening/happened to the clock.
#5
Pyramid du Lourvre – I.M.Pe
How is this building different from other public buildings you’ve seen? Do you think architects
should be forced or just encouraged to design buildings that are aesthetically interesting? What key
words might you research to make an argument for public art?
#6
Circle Limit III – M.C. Escher
What mathematic concepts do you think Escher was exploring in this picture? What clues led you
to those answers?
Compare and contrast the fish then discuss any possible messages Escher may have wanted to
convey about nature.