The Living Art Museum Storyline®
Henri Matisse Mural from the Living Art Museum Storyline
Purchase the Living Art Museum Storyline Resource Book – $50.00 + $5.95 S&H
Overview: As the Storyline begins, Sophia de Parlet and Jean-Jacques Cartier stand before the backdrop of the painting, Dance in the City, by Pierre Auguste Renoir. They are posed, with their arms around each other, just as Renoir painted them. Waltz music begins to play, and they glide about the floor. When the music stops, they move back to their place in the painting. A few seconds pass and they step out and introduce themselves.
Three students modeling as musicians.
They tell their stories of the evening in Paris, 1883. It is Sophia’s first dance and she is in awe of the evening. Jean-Jacques is older and confident in the surroundings, yet in awe of Sophia. It is the first night, of many, that they will spend together. When they finish their stories, the models pause and come out of character.
They introduce themselves and tell of their jobs as members of The Living Art Museum. They model what their jobs entail as they tell the history of the painter and classify and critique his painting. Students are then invited to create their own Living Art Museum and become characters in a painting.
Students learn what is involved in being a model for The Living Art Museum:
- Learn what art is about.
- Create characters and write their stories.
- Study master artists.
- Learn to classify and critique art.
- Learn to draw and paint like the master artists.
- Create a museum to educate others.
Students accept the challenge and the study begins. Writing, poetry and music are integrated into the Storyline. An incident occurs during each artist study. Students respond in writing and poetry to the art work around them. In the context of creating a museum, students acquire an in-depth art background as they learn to describe, analyze, interpret and judge works of art. In their study of the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masters, students follow in the footsteps of the master painters who studied the great masters before them.
“What I do is the result of reflection and study of the great masters.” – Edgar Degas
It is my hope that the Living Art Museum Storyline helps students to enhance and broaden their natural ability to easily capture the feeling and essence of life in the art form.
“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” – Pablo Picasso
Table of Contents:
Storyline Outline i-x
Prologue 3-4
Student Picasso portrait.
The Living Art Museum Storyline:
Episode One: Art and Artists 4-5
Episode Two: Elements of Art 6-9
Episode Three: Elements of Design 9-10
Episode Four: Characters 11-13
Episode Five: The Living Art Museum 14
Episode Six: Incidents 14
Episode Seven: Master Artists Study 14
- Claude Monet 15-19
- Edgar Degas 19-21
- Mary Cassatt 22-25
- Vincent Van Gogh 25-28
- Georges Seurat 28-31
- Henri Rousseau 31-33
- Henri Matisse 34-37
- Paul Klee 37-40
- Pablo Picasso 40-43
- Marc Chagall 43-46
Student sketch of The Fiddler.
Episode Eight: Advertising 46
Episode Nine: Grand Opening 46-47
Episode Ten: Rhythms 48
Episode Eleven: Reflection 48
Appendix One: Curriculum 49-51
Appendix Two: Calendar 53-56
Appendix Three: Writing 57-68
Appendix Four: Poetry 69-82
Appendix Five: Homework 83-89
Appendix Six: Books/Art Prints 91-96
Appendix Seven: Setting/Visuals 97-99
Appendix Eight: Instructions/Stories 101-105
Appendix Nine: Art Lessons
- Claude Monet 110-117
- Edgar Degas 119-123
- Mary Cassatt 125-126
- Vincent Van Gogh 127-139
- Georges Seurat 141-143
- Henri Rousseau 145-149
- Henri Matisse 151-157
- Paul Klee 159-163
- Pablo Picasso 165-171
- Marc Chagall 173-177
Appendix Ten: Culmination 181-185
Appendix Eleven: Post Test 187-191
Appendix Twelve: Storyline Preparation 193-195
Curriculum Focus:
- Recognizing elements of art
- Recognizing elements of design
- Exploring artist’s purpose/method (imitating the world around us, expressing strong feeling)
- Creating a design
- Studying the lives and art techniques of famous artists
- Describing, analyzing, interpreting, and judging works of art
- Comparing similarities and differences between two or more pieces of art
- Responding to art in a variety of modes
- Creating works of art that incorporate the elements of art and design
- Using a variety of art materials and tools
- Sharing art knowledge and talents with others
Monet lily mural created by students.
Storyline® is a registered trademark of Storyline Design.