METIS ARTIST (LEAH DORION)
“I have the heart of a storyteller and will use various forms of artistic expression to share stories. For me, art is a spiritual expression and my paintings are influenced by traditional cultural teachings such as the medicine wheel and the sacred circle of life.”
Leah Dorion (From http://leahdorion.ca/symbolism.html)
Leah Dorion (From http://leahdorion.ca/symbolism.html)
Students engage in analyzing, evaluating and responding critically to Leah Dorion's artwork. They generated their notice and wonders while making connections to their knowledge of wetlands.
While looking at her artwork consider the following questions for discussion and clarification:
- What story are the pictures telling?
- How do I know? (proof and evidence)
- How is this landscape different or the same as your own?
- What do you notice about the landscape?
3. Leah Dorion’s artwork tells stories, captures historical moments and represent traditional life of the Indigenous people. She often uses symbols in her work such as the turtle.
- What are symbols?
- Where do you see symbols?
- What symbols do you notice in Leah Dorion’s artwork and what do you think they could represent?
- What colours, shapes and patterns do you see?
- Is the artist expressing a feeling or emotion?
- Is the artist’s prime concern lines, shapes, colours, textures, design, or composition?
- How does the painting make you feel?
- If you could walk into the painting, what sounds might you hear?
- What do you think is happening in the art?
To See all the information about the different symbols visit her site at:
https://www.leahdorion.ca/symbolism.html
https://www.leahdorion.ca/symbolism.html
Art Technique
“My paintings are tactile, and I often use various mediums that help add dimension and depth to my art, such as beads, birch bark, river rock, and shells. It is important for me to incorporate elements of Indigenous beadwork to honour my First Nations and Metis women ancestors, but I bring them into a contemporary form.”
- Leah Dorion
“My paintings are tactile, and I often use various mediums that help add dimension and depth to my art, such as beads, birch bark, river rock, and shells. It is important for me to incorporate elements of Indigenous beadwork to honour my First Nations and Metis women ancestors, but I bring them into a contemporary form.”
- Leah Dorion
Clarify key attributes to inform criteria for success. This will be used to develop informative assessment as the students proceed with their art.
EXAMPLE OF CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS BY STUDENTS:
Some guiding framework for reflections:
I think ___ symbolizes ___
According to Leah Dorion, the ___ represents ___. In this picture it would show ___
The colours shows ___
The size of the ___ demonstrates….
The ___ is in the ___ of the drawing, which shows ___
I think the ___ represents ___
The animal is this painting is a ___ it represents ___ I think she drew this animal ___
The people/ person in the painting are/is ___ which shows ___
A symbol I notice is ___ This is probably used to show ___
Most of the detail I see ___
In the background I noticed ___ (background -foreground)
The textures in the painting are ___
There are (number) of ___ I think there are this many because ___
I think this painting took place (WHEN -season -time of day) ___ My proof is ___
I think the perspective was drawn from (who is looking at the picture- who is making the picture?)
I notice the Metis symbol for ___ and it means____
I observe ______, I think the artist is trying to show us _______
I notice _____ it reminds me of _______
Clarify key attributes to inform criteria for success. This will be used to develop informative assessment as the students proceed with their art.
EXAMPLE OF CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS BY STUDENTS:
- create a composition that clearly communicates a key scene from a story
- uses technical skills of blending colours
- applies design elements of an inspiring artist
- demonstrates thoughtful, creative decision making to communicate through art.
- circles are often used
- colours are bright (do not need to be realistic)
- background is patterned
- shows what is in the ground (layers)
- symbols imbedded
- no face or details on animals and people
Some guiding framework for reflections:
I think ___ symbolizes ___
According to Leah Dorion, the ___ represents ___. In this picture it would show ___
The colours shows ___
The size of the ___ demonstrates….
The ___ is in the ___ of the drawing, which shows ___
I think the ___ represents ___
The animal is this painting is a ___ it represents ___ I think she drew this animal ___
The people/ person in the painting are/is ___ which shows ___
A symbol I notice is ___ This is probably used to show ___
Most of the detail I see ___
In the background I noticed ___ (background -foreground)
The textures in the painting are ___
There are (number) of ___ I think there are this many because ___
I think this painting took place (WHEN -season -time of day) ___ My proof is ___
I think the perspective was drawn from (who is looking at the picture- who is making the picture?)
I notice the Metis symbol for ___ and it means____
I observe ______, I think the artist is trying to show us _______
I notice _____ it reminds me of _______
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LESSON: -Based in the criteria that was developed by the students, they create an inspired piece of art. The art will be a different medium then Leah Dorion uses. The students will create artwork inspired from the wetlands.
Review the lesson about the difference between copying and being inspired by.
Students need to have prior knowledge and reference photos for the different types of wetlands and the animals/plants that live there.
Students design a picture based on the criteria they identified that Leah Dorion uses in her artwork and their own personal story they want to show in symbols.
- What attributes of the wetlands are communicated in your composition?
- What symbols might they design to represent/ communicate about this particular ecosystem?
Using a small piece of heavy cardstock or cardboard (for example a square from a cereal box) as the base. Roll small pieces of plasticine and rub onto the board. Start with the background layer.
Demonstrate the technical application of working in layers and applying plasticine to create their wetlands art. This will reflect their criteria for success:
Students will participate in gallery walks, receive teacher feedback throughout the process and self-check against the posted criteria for success.
Students will need to view their visual journal design plan throughout.
Circles and rolled ‘snakes’ of plasticine design can be added on top to create a picture at the very end (the last layer).
Demonstrate the technical application of working in layers and applying plasticine to create their wetlands art. This will reflect their criteria for success:
- Students will begin on the furthest back layer
- Blending and smearing
- Colour blending
Students will participate in gallery walks, receive teacher feedback throughout the process and self-check against the posted criteria for success.
Students will need to view their visual journal design plan throughout.
Circles and rolled ‘snakes’ of plasticine design can be added on top to create a picture at the very end (the last layer).
Background Tips
-Smear it thin so that it stays on.
-Smear in the same direction (push away from you)
-Work from the top layer, or what is furthest back in the picture, then work your way downwards
-For suns or other shapes make a “Worm” and outline the shape slights on top of your other layer. Then pull the worm down towards the middle
- do NOT start from the middle of any layer, work from the outside then in
-Smear it thin so that it stays on.
-Smear in the same direction (push away from you)
-Work from the top layer, or what is furthest back in the picture, then work your way downwards
-For suns or other shapes make a “Worm” and outline the shape slights on top of your other layer. Then pull the worm down towards the middle
- do NOT start from the middle of any layer, work from the outside then in
The students will reflect on their artwork and the process:
Help me to understand your thinking process when designing your Leah Dorian inspired art:
Help me to understand your thinking process when designing your Leah Dorian inspired art:
- What colours did you include and why?
- How did you include a symbol (or symbols) to represent your story?
- How did Leah Dorion’s art inspire your artwork?