Learning Activities
- Navigating to An Open Book using a GPS receiver
- View this public art from a distance
- Describe what you see
- What medium is used for this artwork?
- What is unusual about this medium in representing a book?
- View this public art close-up
- View each letter of the alphabet
- Which letter or letters are most interesting to you? Why?
- If you have a camera, take a picture of your favorite letter.
- Why is this your favorite letter?
- Think about these questions?
- What is public art?
- Why is this public art inside a library?
- Where else could this public art be meaningfully place? Why?
- For which letter or letters would you have chosen different objects to represent the theme? Why?
Resources
About the Artists:
- Valerie Vadala Homer: Trustee, Vice President and Public Art Director of the Scottsdale Cultural Council Board of Trustees
- Mayme Kratz: A resident of Phoenix, Arizona, Mayme Kratz works both in resin and blown glass, having become much interested in glass in 1998 during a residency in Pilchuk in Washington state. Her pieces are intended to capture nature in transparent structures.
- Debra Hopkins: Assistant Director of Art for Exhibitions, Scottsdale Center for the Arts
Other Work by the Artists:
What is Public Art
Public Art enhances the quality of life by helping to define and formulate responses to social, economic, cultural and political issues faced by a community. Public Art contributes to cross-cultural understanding, and a sense of ownership and responsibility towards one's community. In its broadest definition, Public Art inspires community understanding, pride and creativity, and benefits the growth and development of the individual and community life. At its best, Public Art is more than simply art integrated, installed or performed in a public place; rather it is a community-based process of dialogue, involvement, and participation. In many instances, Public Art has become a major source of identity for a community.
Public Art is artwork in the public realm, regardless of whether it is situated on public or private property, or whether it is acquired through public or private funding. Public Art can be a sculpture, mural, manhole cover, paving pattern, lighting, seating, building facade, kiosk, gate, fountain, play equipment, engraving, carving, fresco, mobile, collage, mosaic, bas-relief, tapestry, photograph, drawing, or earthwork.
Links about Public Art
Evaluation
- Choose either a theme from this public artwork (example: grace) or another theme of your own choosing
- Collect objects that personally represent your theme
- Assemble your objects in a display to share with others. Possible displays:
- Pressed items ironed between two pieces of waxed paper
- Items glued to a poster board
- Items assembled inside a picture frame
- Items displayed inside a shoe box
- Items hung from strings to form a mobile
- Use your imagination for other creative ways to display the items representing your theme
Reflection
- What did you learn about public art from this experience?
- How does public art add to people's enjoyment of a building?
- What aspect of this public art made the greatest impression on you? Why?
- How does thie Public Art help you develop a sense of your community? Help you identify with your community?
Standards from the Arizona Department of Education
This lesson is linked to the following standards:
- Visual Arts
Strand 2: Relate
Concept 4: Meanings or Purposes
Concept # 4: Meanings or Purposes: The student will interpret meanings or purposes of artwork based on contextual information.
- Visual Arts
Strand 3: Evaluate
Concept 2: Materials, Tools, and Techniques
Concept # 2: Materials, Tools, and Techniques:The student will reflect on, and determine how materials, tools, and techniques affect meanings, purposes, and value in artworks.
- Visual Arts
Strand 3: Evaluate
Concept 4: Meanings or Purposes
Concept # 4: Meanings or Purposes: The student will judge an artist’s success in communicating meaning or purpose in their artwork.
- Technology
Standard 5: Technology Research Tools
Students utilize technology-based research tools to locate and collect information
pertinent to the task, as well as evaluate and analyze information from a variety of
sources.
- Technology
Standard 6: Technology as a Tool for Problem Solving and Decision-making
Students use technology to make and support decisions in the process of solving real-
world problems.
- Language Arts Reading
Strand 3: Comprehending Informational Text
Students identify, analyze, and apply knowledge of the purpose, structures, and elements of expository text.
- Language Arts: Listening and Speaking
Students effectively listen and speak in situations that serve different purposes and involve a variety of audiences.
- LS-E1. Effectively convey the message through verbal and nonverbal communications with a specific audience
- LS-E3. Interpret and respond to questions
- Language Arts: Viewing and Presenting
Students use a variety of visual media and resources to gather, evaluate and synthesize information and to communicate with others.
- VP-E1. Analyze visual media for language, subject matter and visual techniques used
to influence opinions, decision making and cultural perceptions
- VP-E2. Plan, develop and produce a visual presentation, using a variety of media such
as videos, films, newspapers, magazines and computer images
- VP-E3. Compare, contrast and establish criteria to evaluate visual media for purpose
and effectiveness
- Social Studies: Geography
Concept 1: The World in Spatial Terms
The spatial perspective and associated geographic tools are used to organize and interpret information about people, places and
environments.
- PO-1:Use different kinds of maps to solve problems
- PO-7: Locate physical features in AZ using maps and other location devices
- Social Studies: Geography
Concept 4: Human systems and culture, their nature, and their distribution affects societies and the Earth.
- PO-4: Describe cultural characteristics of Arizona's diverse populations
- PO-6: Describe elements of culture in areas studied
- Workplace Skills Standards
- Standard 1: Students use principles of effective oral, written and listening communication skills to make decisions and solve problems.
- Standard 2: Students apply computation skills and data analysis techniques to make decisions and solve problems.
- Standard 3: Students apply critical and creative thinking skills to make decisions and solve problems.
- Standard 4: Students work individually and collaboratively within team settings to accomplish objectives.
- Standard 7: Students demonstrate technological literacy for productivity in the workplace.
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