This week we went deeper into abstraction, specifically, Geometric Abstraction, and looked at maybe the most famous of all abstract painters, Piet Mondrian. As we learned last week, the Impressionists opened up a new world for painters to go beyond the realistic and to create new visions never before explored.
Mondrian began his career by painting trees. Over time, he began to look deeper into the spaces between the branches finding patterns there until he developed the black and white and primary colored designs we know well today. I end my one minute art history lecture with the above picture which pulls in the class’ focus. I ask them to look around when they are out and about with you and to seek out Mondrian inspired designs. We’ll see if anyone finds any out there.
The project we did was simple and open-ended. After a quick lesson on using rulers to make straight lines, I suggested they use these (or not) to create a geometric pattern on their water color paper with a black Sharpie. Once this is complete, I take the Sharpies back and give out the water colors to color the rest of the painting.
Since, I believe in freedom in art, especially at this age, the classes know that creating art in any form is always acceptable, so you’ll see many who have decided to bend their lines working more with Organic Abstraction. This is by no means a failure in any way, simply a choice.
