One of our Common Core Standards is learning about different kinds of art and the people who created the art and different mediums of art as well. We studied Henri Matisse and learned about how he changed the art world. When he was a child his appendix burst and he was forced to stay in bed for a long time. His mother gave him an art set and he began to paint. Instead of painting what he saw outside of his bedroom window, he painted the window and curtains and then what he saw beyond the window. He painted things different colors then they really are. The people of his day called him a "Fauvist" which translates to mean "wild beast". He is famous for his unique use of color. Later in his life, when he could no longer paint, he cut paper to make art and called it 'painting with scissors'.
First, we drew a vase with flowers in it. Then, we added wallpaper and a design behind it. Next, we labeled the picture with the colors they wanted to paint each place. Last, we added one color per day and ended up with beautiful masterpieces. Good job kids, you are amazing little artists. They also wrote and informational paper about Henri Matisse and his affect on the world of Art. The informational paper is also a Common Core Standard.
