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Open Studio: Go Green!

Spring is the perfect season to GO GREEN! Today, let's discover how various artists “think green” in their artworks.

Exploring the Gallery

The Meaning Of Green: Artists often use colors in their pieces to encourage viewers to feel certain emotions. Sometimes the context in which the color appears can help you decide its meaning. For example, if you see the color red in a war scene, it might refer to violence and bloodshed. However, if you see the color red in a romantic scene, it might represent love. What emotions do you feel when you see the color violet? Yellow? What about the color green? The color green often represents nature, growth, harmony, and increase. For example, green might symbolize an increase in knowledge, the beginning of spring, or a fertile landscape.

Green things at your house: ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________

Spring Green: Try to brainstorm about all of the things you’ve seen in your life that are green--like leaves on trees, a lucky four-leaf clover, pistachio ice cream, or the color of your best friend’s eyes. Now think about how many different shades of green there are, like Christmas tree green, mossy green, mint green, olive green, and spring green.

This artist covered almost his entire canvas in shades of green that remind us of springtime. In this forested landscape of Connecticut in the spring, the artist is employing a device called “tonalism,” where lots of different shades of the same color are being used. - If you could use only green to paint a picture, what would you paint? - What might you paint using only blue? - What other subjects could you create using only one color?

Go Green! Green can remind us many things, but especially objects from the natural world. But “green” can also mean more than just a color. To “GO GREEN” reflects a positive way of caring for our planet Earth. “Going green” means trying to do things that will help preserve and protect our environment. This can include saving water, walking or biking instead of driving, picking up trash, or recycling.

This installation by artist Dan Steinhilber is made entirely of recycled materials! Can you tell what it's made of? - How has the artist made everyday items into something beautiful? - Look around your home—what household items could you recycle to create a work of art?

Art Activity:

Today in the gallery you learned all about the Earth and what you can do to preserve and protect it. You can start today by joining us making works of art using recyclable materials! Look around your house for a variety of recyclable objects: egg cartons, milk jugs, paper towel rolls, and more. Search your house high and low for things that are destined for the trash basket or recycling bin.What better way to re-use old stuff than to make them into a work of art?! You may want to also find glue, tape, staplers, markers, colored paper, paint and other supplies that can be used to help you assemble your work. Use your imagination to construct your unique creation. You can make anything from a flower, to a wild animal, to the tallest tower you can build. The sky's the limit! Share your GO GREEN artworks with us! Post on social media using #byumoa and #moaathome