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Middle and high school art students are in the midst of an Indigenous unit of study that taps into Indigenous cultures from various parts of the world. The projects are equally diverse, allowing the artists to delve into cultures while expressing a creative vision of their unique works using multiple techniques and media.
Sixth graders have completed a totem pole project after discussing six types of ceremonial totem poles representing different aspects of life (family, house, welcome, memorial, shame, and mortuary). The CCA projects were from the family category. The artists chose subjects they found connections with after studying animals of the northwest Pacific Northwest coast of North America.
High school artists explored an Indigenous Australian art form called Aboriginal dot art that evolved in the 1970s from ancient traditions of body and ground painting.
Part of art teacher Janice Ailerson’s inspiration for the Indigenous unit was to incorporate the celebration of Black History Month by highlighting some of its strongest roots. For instance, famous 21st century artists Faith Ringgold, Jacob Lawrence, and Romare Bearden gained traction by incorporating Indigenous culture into their works. Mrs. Ailerson used them as examples during the study.
Middle school students imitated Ghana fabric in projects they created using yarn and fabric. Kente cloth is a prestigious, hand-woven textile made of interwoven silk and cotton strips. The cloth features vibrant colors and geometric patterns. Originally worn by royalty in toga-like fashion, it symbolizes West African history, philosophy, and social status.
In a mask assignment, high school students chose an African country and constructed designs specific to that nation using cardboard, plaster, and acrylic paint. The works are large, some up to three feet in height, and have taken approximately two weeks to complete.
Another mask project involved 16 different types of folded paper.
“Celebrating Black History month through the lens of Indigenous artwork is a powerful way to honor the African-Indigenous experience. Students learned techniques and concepts in art. We highlighted the resilience of people, land, and the cultural preservation of making historic connections,” Ms. Ailerson.
High school students have also studied cave art, the earliest form of visual storytelling and symbolic expression, dating back at least 65,000 years. Found on every continent except Antarctica, these prehistoric works transitioned from abstract markings to sophisticated figurative scenes that capture the daily lives and spiritual beliefs of ancient hominins. The CCA artists modeled their projects after cave art in France.
As the final phase of the Indigenous unit, the middle and high school students will use bars of soap to carve animals such as bears and seals who are significant in the Inuit culture.