School Outreach :: Outsider Art Lesson Plans
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Description
Students will have a choice of choosing from among the following three art projects:

1. Create a mixed-media painting with a biblical theme inspired by the work of Sister Gertrude Morgan
2. Create a miniature, mixed media "Art Car" based on vehicles on view at The Art Car Museum in Houston, Texas
3. Create "The Imaginary News" on a 3'x5' canvas based on teacher's example

Contemporary social themes are definitely encouraged in these assignments. Subjects or personal topics are at the discretion of each individual student. By offering a choice among three possibilities, the first, a 2-D painting, the second a mixed-media sculpture, and third, a 2-D drawing, painting, and/or collage on canvas, I am assigning a choice of various ways of making art to accommodate various ways of working. In addition, I believe biblical themes, cars, and their personal take on "The Imaginary News" offer three relevant choices to junior high school students, allowing them a wide range in which to express personal ideas in unconventional ways.

Objective/Outcomes
All three projects require the students to respond imaginatively and inventively to artists' examples by making their own representations. Above all, they will learn hands-on about taking a visually honest, raw, original, and free-range perspective on a personal and/or social theme that matters most dearly to them. They will be graded on how well they express and communicate their feelings on that chosen theme, how far they have taken materials, the strength of the bond of individual parts and how they contribute to a unity.

State Goals/Benchmarks
Illinois Fine Arts 25, 26, 27

Motivation/Anticipatory Set
Effort will be made on my part through lectures, slides and examples, presentations with the aid of a visiting artist and a field trip to Intuit to explain exactly what will be anticipated in terms of the nature and quality of the work production required.

Opening concept will focus on a statement, which has been most eloquently introduced by Jean Dubuffet when he said, "I am for an art which would be in immediate connection with daily life, an art which would be a very direct and very sincere expression of our real life and our real worlds." From this auspicious and momentous starting point I hope to motivate the students to investigate what to their eyes and minds represents a beautiful expression of that which they wish to put out in the world.

Activities
Introduction to the concept of beauty as it is envisioned in selected works by Godie, Lent, Schergen, Palozzola, Doctor Forevermore, from outsider artists (see slide list), and from my own mixed-media collection. From the outset I want to make the major point using original art from the above-mentionned artists that Originality Supercedes Beauty!

Weeks 1-2
After a couple lectures, including slide presentations and the presentation of original artworks, I will ask students to start focusing on choosing one of the projects and narrowing their theme. When I can make a tally of how many and what kinds of supplies needed, the next step will be ordering and obtaining those supplies. Schedule visiting artists to make their presentations to our two classes. Write up and turn in request for field trip to the Region.
Weeks 3-4
• Meet students at Dollar store and Swap-O-Rama after school and on Saturdays to purchase materials.
• Take scheduled field trip to Intuit Gallery in last week of January/first week of February to see the work of Sister Gertrude Morgan.
• Distribute materials to begin work on student made art projects.
• Welcome visiting artists to our school.
Weeks 5-6
Artwork production in serious flow by now. Self-motivated students will lead the way and their work will be held up for example. I will assist students having a difficult time deciding on a theme or who are struggling with materials. Critique of midway point and evaluation of where each student stands. Students who are well on their way may assist others who are struggling.
Weeks 7-8
Continued art production, on-going individual critiques and assistance. Most of my attention will have to focus on slower students to help speed up their process or whatever is holding them back, i.e., behavior issues, poor attendance or health.
Weeks 9-10
Final critique. Framing and polishing of artwork for exhibition in-house.
Weeks 11-12
In-house exhibition open to school community. Hold work for Gallery 37 Exhibition.

Materials
• Pre-stretched canvasses and canvass roll, canvass boards, table top easels
• Acrylic paint (assorted colors) and brushes
• Wood for frames
• Mixed-media materials from Dollar Store and Swap-o-Rama
• Glue guns and sticks
• Pinewood car sets, miniature metal cars
• Wood carving tools, power tools: drill, jigsaw
• Sandpaper
• Slides (Dr. Forevermor, Fred Smith, Lee Godie, Mr. Imagination, Sister Gertrude Morgan, Levi Fisher Ames, Roy Ferdinand, Roland Knox, Purvis Young, Archie Byron, Jimmy Lee Sudduth, The Art Car Museum Collection)
• Catalogue from Sister Gertrude Morgan Exhibition

New Vocabulary and Concepts
Outsider art and artists: Intuit defines "intuitive and outsider art" as work of artists who demonstrate little influence from the mainstream art world, and who instead seem motivated by their unique personal visions. This definition includes what is known as Art Brut, non-traditional folk art, self-taught art, and visionary art.

" We understand by this term (Art Brut) works produced by persons unscathed by artistic culture, where mimicry plays little or no part. These artists derive everything - subjects, choice of materials, means of transposition, rhythms, styles of writing, etc - from their own depths, and not from the conventions of classical or fashionable art. We are witness here to a completely pure artistic operation, raw, brut, and entirely reinvented in all of its phases solely by means of the artists own impulses. It is an art which manifests an unparalleled inventiveness, unlike cultural art, with its chameleon - and monkey-like aspects." Jean DuBuffet as quoted in Raw Vision/Outsider Art Sourcebook, p 14.

Folk and Naive Art : Individual artistic expression inspired by religious stories, tales, rituals, customs, etc. and often studied in the context of one's community.

Subconscious motivation: Such as obsession, depression, and guilt as motivating impulses in conflict-ridden individuals/artists. Channeled into art making, products are often described as idiosyncratic, eccentric, and outside the norm.

The private, interior experience of outsider artists, whatever their motivating impulses, are true visionaries of fantasy worlds and environmental creations.

Evaluation/Closure

Rubric for "Ousider Artistic Experience"
Artwork exhibits a thoughtfully personal nature in its raw image making power, inventive use of mixed-media, and is unconventionally original. Artwork displays a presence through a unity enhanced with great detail and a meaningful theme revealed by its mystery and visual poetry.

"One simply knows it when one sees it" (so says Jean DuBuffet). Final product shows expressive skill in drawing, painting, collage, and/or carving. Student showed great interest in all aspects of the project including input on purchasing materials, attendance at field trip, assistance with slow learners and set-up of in house exhibition. (A Grade)

Artwork exhibits an expressive image(s), shows evidence of an inventive mixed-media use, and presents some originality. Student made a good effort to create a meaningful theme using mixed-media with non traditional materials. Artwork shows above average artistic skill at drawing, painting, collage, and/or carving. Student showed interest in many aspects of the project. (B Grade)

Artwork exhibits an average ability in expressing an image(s), shows little evidence of mixed media use, average artistic skills, and theme is stereotypical and/or somewhat derivative of other artist's work. Student showed minimal interest in project and made only small effort to improve on his/her project, which in the final analysis had barely acceptable meaning. (C Grade)

Artwork exhibits unacceptable effort as the theme is undecipherable, artistic skills are messy without thought given to application, and final product lacks any originality or is altogether missing. Student's behavior was disruptive to others, showed no interest in the project, and/or did not take part in or misbehaved on field trip. (D/F grade)