 |
| 3rd Grade Art Lesson: Celebrating Black History Month with Marita Dingus by A Crafty Arab |
I volunteer teach art every two weeks in my daughter's 3rd grade class.
I am introducing them to the seven elements of art and we have learned about lines, primary colors and secondary colors. But today the art room where we usually work is being used for testing, so I used the opportunity to teach them about a new artist and have them collect supplies for next time.
In celebration of Black History Month, in our art lesson today I talked to them about local artist Marita Dingus.
 |
| 3rd Grade Art Lesson: Celebrating Black History Month with Marita Dingus by A Crafty Arab |
Recently, I took my youngest daughter to her "The Girls" opening at Travor Gallery. Then last summer I took two of my children to her home for a summer party and they were blown away at all the artwork everywhere. And I do mean everywhere. Check my Instagram for a photo of them next to Big Sister.
Since our 3rd grade class had not completed the 3rd Grade Art Lesson: Contrast Colors in African Dancers from last time, I talked to them about Marita while they worked.
Marita Dingus was born in Seattle. Her first introduction to recycled art came as a child. Her father worked for Boeing and would bring home paperwork that was going to be thrown away. He saw that it was white and clean on the other side, ready for Marita to draw on. She was further encouraged to draw when a fight with her sister forced her to make her own paper dolls.
After high school, she went to on to study art at colleges in Philadelphia and San Jose before returning to live here full time. Her family had many college graduates, so her parents encouraged her to go and study her passion, making art, and to this day she continues to travel and study. Her artwork has been in international shows and she has won impressive awards for her numerous accomplishments.
Marita's artwork is nothing like I've ever seen before. She makes moving sculpture from discarded pieces of life. She uses wire, fabric, inner tubes, bottles, glass, cork, and just about anything she can get her hands on (or friends give her!).
Her 400 Men and 200 Women of African Descent, which took her close to 2 years to create, consists of small headless figures, each one unique. She created them after visiting the Elmina Castle in Ghana, a holding area for African slaves to be transported to the Americas.
 |
| 3rd Grade Art Lesson: Celebrating Black History Month with Marita Dingus by A Crafty Arab |
While Marita does use dolls, which evokes a playfulness in her work, it is an allusion that in reality associates with a much darker time in our history, the treatment of African Americans. She calls her material "discarded"
"I like “discarded” because I see a correlation with my ideology. The materials represent discarded people, and people of color historically have been used and discarded. You don’t discard people. They have value."
Her work is always growing but the core of it always lies in the ability she has of seeing the beauty in the castaways of society. She is a true master of the reinvention. Her piece Buddha as an African Slave, weaves the history of the slave ships with a 60-foot Buddha that she saw in Beijing.
 |
| 3rd Grade Art Lesson: Celebrating Black History Month with Marita Dingus by A Crafty Arab |
I showed the children photos of her work and this video.
 |
| 3rd Grade Art Lesson: Celebrating Black History Month with Marita Dingus by A Crafty Arab |
I told them to start collecting discarded objects at home so we can work on a project inspired by her for our next art lesson. I also told them to have their parents email me their baby photos to put in the middle.
Next time we were back in the art room, we are going to make our own embellished faces!
As I wrapped up talking about Marita, the kids finished their warm and cool pieces inspired by another fantastic African American artist we talked about last time, Augusta Asberry.
 |
| 3rd Grade Art Lesson: Celebrating Black History Month with Marita Dingus by A Crafty Arab |
Here are a few of the masterpieces.
 |
| 3rd Grade Art Lesson: Celebrating Black History Month with Marita Dingus by A Crafty Arab |
 |
| 3rd Grade Art Lesson: Celebrating Black History Month with Marita Dingus by A Crafty Arab |
 |
| 3rd Grade Art Lesson: Celebrating Black History Month with Marita Dingus by A Crafty Arab |
To see more of our art lesson plans from this year, visit
Be sure to join us in two weeks!
xxx
Multicultural Kids Blog 3rd annual Black History Month series
For the month of February I am taking part in a blog hop with Multicultural Kids on Black History Month. Be sure to check out more posts from other bloggers below.
Welcome to our third annual Black History Month series and giveaway! Check out the series from 2015 and 2014.
Follow along all month long as we explore the rich history and cultures of Africa and African-Americans. Be sure to enter our giveaway. You can also follow our Black History board on Pinterest.
February 1
All Done Monkey on Multicultural Kid Blogs: George Washington Carver: Facts, Activities, and Resources
February 12
Discovering the World Through My Son's Eyes
February 15
Mother in the Mix
February 17
Creative World of Varya
February 19
The Art Curator for Kids
February 22
Crafty Moms Share
February 24
La Cité des Vents
February 26
LadyDeeLG
February 29
Hispanic Mama
No comments:
Post a Comment