Cherry Blossoms-Sakura-Les Cérisiers!
Sakura trees attract a lot of attention in Vancouver and Burnaby! Have you seen people stopping to do photo shoots in front of these trees? Have you taken photos?
Why are they so popular?
Did you know they were a gift from Japan to Vancouver? In Japanese it is called: Sakura.
The U.S. has Sakura festivals as well-here is a video worth watching.
Where are there Cherry Blossom Trees in Burnaby?
click this map...zoom in on your neigbourhood! Do you have cherry blossoms on your street?
Here is what we will make tomorrow!
Inside Out and our Emotions
Humans have 6 BASIC EMOTIONS. ALL HUMANS, regardless of race, religion, skin color-we have the same ability to feel emotions on the inside. Of course, we don’t all show them on the outside in the same ways!
JOY, SADNESS, ANGER, DISGUST, SURPRISE, and FEAR.
The film INSIDE OUT showed an interpretation of these emotions, how they look inside, and how they affect our reactions on the outside in our daily life.
Did you see the film?
Here is a video of the 6 BASIC EMOTIONS:
But, each emotion has LEVELS.
For ANGER, we could be bored (green), frustrated (darker green), annoyed(yellow)…all the way to ENRAGED (red).
There is actually a tool called an EMOTION WHEEL. Many version of this exist and you can google “Emotion wheel” to see them!
See the core emotion in the center, followed by some lesser reactions in the middle, then the BIG REACTIONS on the outside.
(Click the picture to see it bigger on your screen)
I was reminded of the paint chips we get at the hardware store. The colors range from a pale to a darker version of the same color on each card:
Your assignment this week:
- Choose ONE BASIC EMOTION from the 6.
- Look up SYNONYMS for this emotion. Use this link for synonyms: LINK
- Choose 3 synonyms and order the 4 words: from less of a reaction to greatest reaction (like the example above: bored<frustrated<annoyed<ANGRY
- Go to FLIPGRID to create a video of this progression of emotion!
- FINALLY, when your video is done you will create a book mark like the paint chips. Use the handout. Draw your synonym and a picture representing that feeling in each box. Make sure your boxes go in order from least to greatest in the range of emotions. COLOR this. Use a gradient of colors like in the paint chip examples below!FLIPGRID LINK CLICK HERE
Norval Morrisseau
He is an Anishinaabe (Ojibwe, Cree) artist from Ontario.
He created the style called: WOODLAND.
As a child he was taken from his home and put in a residential school. He was able to leave the school at age 10 and return to his family and his culture.
At age 18 he became very ill. His family asked for a traditional healing ceremony to give him his anishnaabe name-a very important ceremony in his culture. His name became Copper Thunderbird, which represents power and strength. He soon healed from his illness after this!
Many of his art work is on very large canvas!
His artist father told him something very important, he said “Watch me, but become yourself”. Learn from me but design your own style.
Kevin Hearn of The Barenaked Ladies bought a Norval Morrisseau painting and it caused controversy: read about it here.
Appropriation, copying, or learning?
When we first learn art, and technique it is essential to try famous artists’ techniques! Watch this:
What do you think of what Amanda did?
Here is a lesson on how to paint the Thunderbird:
Watch the video but think about your responsibility to the artist. Can you learn the techniques and still make it your own, or develop your own style?
Here are some interpretations from a class of mine at Confederation a few years ago!
Michelle Stoney
You will read this page like it is a lesson-click the links, read and watch videos. Then you will color Michelle Stoney artwork!
CBC news article-Michelle Stoney creates feather art for students
Michelle Stoney is a first nation artist from the Gitxsan nation. She lives in northern British Columbia in a town called Hazelton. Last year, she created a feather design to represent the 215 children that died in residential school in Kamloops. We now know this number to be much more. Can you find the current tragic number of children whose remains have been found?
You can learn more about residential schools here.
Michelle also create jewelry. You can view her pieces here.
Read more and watch the videos about Michelle here .
In her words, here is how she describes the feather she has created in honor of the children who’s graves have been found at Residential Schools:
“Some people are asking what is in the feather, so I’ll explain it here.
First of all the feather represents so much in our culture. Maybe too much to even explain so I’ll just say what it means to me in the hand and this one. To me it means strength and healing , we really value the feather and it means so much to us. I know we use it for smudging , and to me that represents cleansing .
Inside the feather is the spirit of the 215 children. The face on the bottom is not an animal. That is how I draw people , and I wanted to make long flowing hair, that they were forced to cut.
And there is also a hand on top, kinda referencing the hand design I did last year.
But really this can mean something to someone else. I don’t want to force people what to think. I just like it when people connect on their own way. I’d love to hear stories of what this means to you.
And for the colours, I’m thinking lots of different colours, our people didn’t have a choice on what they could wear when at these places , so I’m imagining it coloured all colours , but again that’s up to you. I appreciate people asking if it’s meant to be coloured in black and red, but I didn’t design it that way, but by all means you can:)
Stoney Quarantine Colouring Day #115
I was asked by a teacher from Wishart Elementary school in Colwood. And she wanted to know if I have a feather design she could use for a school project. She wants the children from the school to colour 215 feathers to represent those children that were taken from us… I’m positive there are many more graves to be found and that this is just the start, but I was more then honoured to make this so that it is taught in our schools. I asked if it was ok to share her idea, so if you’d like to do this same idea you have her and her schools permission … and of course my permission as well. My late ye’e always told me stories that one of his jobs was to dig these graves:( ”
This is the page you will you will be coloring!