ART in the schools

This year’s Art in the Schools program features Pop artist Andy Warhol. Almost everyone will recall his Campbell's soup can paintings. Pop art images like this prompt people to wonder why it is considered fine art at all.

Tomato Soup Shopping Bag, 1966 Silkscreen on paper bag by Andy Warhol [American 1930 - 1987] for Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston. BMAM 1971.027 Gift of Mrs. A. B. Sayles.

It's important to remember that almost every movement in the history of art drew such criticisms when it was new and unusual. French Impressionists may appear to modern eyes as quaint and old fashioned, but in their heyday, they drew firestorms of criticism and ire. In the world of fine art, there is always the shock of the new.

In some ways the 1960's and 70's seem like a long time ago, but the story of the history of art is told slowly, so works produced during this time are modern enough to still cause people to ask, “Why is this art?” The image of a soup can itself isn't really original, and many are created in multiple, repeated images, even created in a mass-production approach. Andy didn't even work alone much of the time, but employed many people in his studio. So the question is fair and deserving of some insight into the puzzle of this particular artist's creative mind.

If we look back a bit, something new had come about during the industrial age. Mass production. Things could be created in large numbers, so that many people could have access to them. No longer was everything hand made one at a time and treated as a luxury only for the rich. More and more people had access to more and more goods in their local store or by mail order.

Think about this. Every advertisement you hear or see or read, whether on a billboard, television, newspaper, magazine or radio is repeated many, many times in different places, at different times of the day, sometimes in the same place over and over. How many times have you sat in front of the television and wished they would stop repeating the same advertisement again and again at every commercial break? It's overload, and we tire of it very quickly. But - we remember it. Mission accomplished. Now think about this. Art reflects life. But art does not always reflect life literally. Let's go back to the Impressionists again, their whimsical light-bathed color-flecked paintings were images of life as it occurred around them. Their paintings were often of family, friends, outings in the country, but they approached the application of paint to canvas in a new way, different than the older accepted academic style. Still, these were pictures of life around them. Pop art is about life around us too but with a different point of view.

What might we say then, about Pop Art? Familiar images of things around us also. Isn't that true? Take a look at Warhol's Tomato Soup Can on Shopping Bag in the Blanden collection. It can be viewed as a piece that not only has a soup can on it, but could have many soup cans in it, if you were to go shopping of course, the usual purpose of a shopping bag.

Package design has to be good to appeal to the consumer, but the repeated images of these designs in Warhol's art tell us something about the society we live in day after day. Our culture is one of the bombardment of repeated images, from mass produced goods in a factory, repetitive tasks of the jobs in those factories, and repeated product images through advertising in all kinds of media.

Consider Andy Warhol's images of celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Jackie Kennedy. Think of how often these people's faces have been in front of us through the news media. Andy points out that we see them again and again, almost like an advertised product. When their images are produced in multiples and sold as works of art, their well known faces become advertised and objectified like products. For example, if you purchase an Andy Warhol painting of Marilyn Monroe, what is it that you are interested in owning, an interesting picture of the actress, or an Andy Warhol painting? Andy Warhol's work had a darker side, using repeated images of accidents, disturbing scenes of death and disaster, causing us to wonder why the news media and we, the consumers of that news, were so fascinated with such sadness and destruction. But are not these images also repeated for us in unending litany on the evening news?
by Linda Flaherty

Children’s Classes

ART is for EVERYONE

Exploring Art After School

February

Art Explorations for Grades 2 – 4
Thursdays, February 7th, 14th and 21st
Thursdays, 3:30 - 5:00 PM
Children currently enrolled in Second, Third and Fourth Grades
Instructor: Museum Educator, Linda Flaherty
Fee: $27 museum members, $32 non-members

March

Art Explorations for Grades K– 2
Thursdays, March 6th, 13th and 20th
Thursdays, 3:30 - 5:00 PM
Children currently enrolled in Kindergarten, First and Second Grades
Instructor: Museum Educator, Linda Flaherty
Fee: $27 museum members, $32 non-members

Working with Shape and Design for Grades 6 – 8
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday – March 25th, 26th & 27th
Young People currently enrolled in Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Grades
Instructor: Madai Taylor
Fee: $27 museum members, $32 general public

Shape is one of the basic elements of art, and an important consideration in the overall design of any work of art. Whether you are creating an abstract image or a realistic one, its success as a finished piece is dependent upon the strength of your composition, or design. In this class Madai will assist you in the creation of strong design and show you how the shapes you choose contribute to a successful work of art.

April

Art Explorations for Grades 2 – 4
Thursdays, April 3rd, 10th and 17th
Thursdays, 3:30 - 5:00 PM
Children currently enrolled in Second, Third and Fourth Grades
Instructor: Museum Educator, Linda Flaherty
Fee: $27 museum members, $32 non-members

Exploring, Experimenting and Playing with Color for Grades 3 – 6
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, April 22nd, 23rd, and 24th
Three Consecutive Days, 3:30-5:00PM
Young People currently enrolled in Third through Sixth Grades
Instructor: Roger Feldhans
Fee: $35 museum members, $40 non-members

"When Roger creates his own art, he approaches every medium with an attitude of fun and experimentation. Catch his infectious love color and try out different color combinations in a variety of materials. A t-shirt is included for your project with fabric dyes. It is important to sign up early for this class, and to let us know the shirt size you will need for the final project."

Exploring Art After School

Art Explorations are planned for the first three Thursdays after school each month from 3:30 to 5:00 PM. The age groupings will span about three grade levels, which will vary from month to month. Projects will be designed for the age group listed, and will include drawing, design and composition, different kinds of paints, color and color mixing, experiments with sculptural materials such as clay and other three dimensional media. Please check for the appropriate age level when registering children for classes.

The last week of the month is reserved for additional classes that may be scheduled for older age groups. When these classes are offered, they are held three to four days in a row during that single week. Please check the calendar to see when these classes are offered, and to find dates and age groupings. All classes are limited to 12 students. Scholarships are available. Please call the Blanden Art Museum for further information at 573-2316.

Adult Learning Opportunities
Blanden Memorial Art Museum - Lower Level Classroom

Adult Learning Opportunities Adult classes have a minimum of six participants. Each class also has a maximum enrollment that varies depending on the nature of the class and the materials being used. Adult classes are open to those 16 years of age and older. Both of these two adult class offerings require ordering and gathering of specialized materials in advance. For planning purposes of both the instructor and the museum, paid registrations are requested as early as possible.

MARCH - APRIL

Hand Built Willow and Reed Combination Baskets
Saturday, March 1
10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
One Day Saturday Workshop
Instructor: Pam Dennis
Fee: $42 for museum members, $48 for non-members
Class is limited to 12 participants

If you live in Fort Dodge, you have seen the willow lizards sitting on the Blanden's East porch, and you have certainly seen the horse and rider sculptures made from willow in various locations around town. Built by Pam Dennis and Ryk Weiss of Ogden, these sculptures have certainly made their mark around town. In this class, you will learn about the kind of materials that are used for these projects, and the techniques used to work with them.

Build a willow basket with woven handles and embellishments from reed, willow, or recycled materials. Pam will guide participants in the techniques of constructing a basic form with the willow, and then teach participants how to add reed weavings to the newly built structures. You will need to bring a few tools that are usually found around the house – a small hammer, wire cutters and sharp pruning shears. It's a good idea to have a pair of gloves handy. The $15 per person materials cost is included in the overall class fee. Bring a brown bag lunch and take a break whenever you like. A refrigerator and microwave are available. Coffee will be provided.

Stoneware Hand building and Glazing Workshop for Adults
Saturday, March 8th and
Saturday, April 19th
Two Saturday class sessions,10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Instructor: Mary Weisgram
Fee: $85 for museum members, $95 for non-members
Class is limited to 12 participants

Mary Weisgram's ceramic works reveal her ongoing interest in surface treatments as she translates her painterly style to beautiful glazed finishes. Mary's works in stoneware and porcelain are organic in feel, as she employs several two dimensional techniques in her surface treatments, including slips, stains, layering of glazes, and the utilization of natural materials as a stenciling device. Mary's work will be featured in the Blanden One of a Kind Shop beginning in January and continuing throughout the duration of her workshop.

This two-part ceramics workshop will be multileveled, to accommodate both beginners and those who have more experience working with clay. This workshop is offered in two Saturday sessions. The first session on March 8th will focus on hand building the clay pieces and will include instruction on how students are to handle and work with their projects on their own as it dries to the leather hard stage which allows for carving techniques. At the end of the first day students may take their pieces home to complete them independently over the next few days. Participants will return their pieces to the Blanden by a specified date for the bisque firing. Part two of the workshop will be held Saturday, April 19th, as Mary continues the class with a variety of glazing techniques. Students will be able to pick up their work at a later date, after the glaze firing has been completed.

Bring a sack lunch both days and take your lunch break whenever you wish. A refrigerator and microwave are available, and we will provide the coffee. Clay, glazes and firing costs are included in the class fee.

Looking ahead

Summer 2008 ­ Art Camps for Children & Young People

Art Camps 2008 for children and young people, and summer learning opportunities for adults will all be scheduled to take place from June 10 through July 19, 2008. Details for some of the art camps are still in the planning stages. Printed detailed schedules of all art camps and classes will be available in the East entrance area by late March or early April. Watch the Lifestyle section of the Sunday Messenger for a listing of upcoming classes and events, or call the Blanden at 573-2316 for more information on both adult and children's summer classes as we move into spring.

Some of the offerings on the schedule so far for children and young people include Digital Photography for Kids aged 10 to 14 with Rochelle Green. This is a class that will require students to bring their own digital camera.

Remember last year's great sculpture class with Pam Dennis? She will be back in the Blanden classroom again this year the week of June 17 for two new four-day equally engaging art camps. The morning class for children aged 6 to 10 will be a sculpture class, Robots. Create your own robot from recycled materials. Box bodies, bottle cap buttons, painted clothing. Bring home a new friend you made at art camp!!

Pam's afternoon class is for young people ages 9 and above is All Boxed Up! where you will make a beautiful Treasure Box. Start by choosing a box from our collection of handsome wooden cigar boxes and use your imagination and a variety of materials to embellish and create an artful treasure box.

Madai Taylor will be with us for an all-day workshop for young people ages 11 and up on Friday, July 11th. Those of you who have taken a class with Madai previously, know he is expert at assisting and encouraging your creative and individual spirit, and teaching solid design concepts.

Blanden Art Museum
920 Third Avenue South, Ft. Dodge, Ia. 50501 (515.573.2316)
Fax: (515.573.2317)

OPEN Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm
CLOSED Sunday and Monday