Art Therapy Project: Georgia O’Keeffe Big Flower

Georgia O’Keeffe

Artist and painter, Georgia O’Keeffe, was born on November 15, 1887, in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. Known for her striking flower paintings and other captivating works, O’Keeffe was one of the greatest American artists of the twentieth century.

O’Keeffe always painted subjects using strong colors. She simplified her subjects so that nothing remained except the most important parts. O’Keeffe focuses our attention on the flower by making it big and simplifying its form. Making something large helps us notice details we might miss otherwise.

Masterpiece Modified: Georgia O’Keeffe Big Flower

• Materials: Colored paper, glue, scissors, crayons or markers
• Fine Motor Skills: Scissor/Cutting and Gluing
• Art Skills: Drawing straight, wavy and curved lines. Experimenting and testing cause and effect.

Directions:

1. Choose a colored piece of paper. Have the artist draw a long wavy line along the edges of the paper, creating a shape.
2. Have the artist choose another colored piece of paper. The artist will draw 5 straight vertical lines on the paper.   
3. Have the artist draw two curved lines connecting to create leaves on a green piece of paper.

4. Choose another colored piece of paper. Have the artist draw a circle on the paper.

   

5. Have the artist choose another colored piece of paper and draw a long, wavy line to create  a smaller shape.

   

6. On the paper, have the artist cut out and glue the green leaf shapes onto the paper. Next, cut out and glue the large curvy shape on the paper (layering on top of the leaves). Cut the paper with the straight lines. You will have strips of paper. Have the artist experiment with these and glue them on top of the other shapes.

   

7. Have the artist cut out and glue the smaller wavy shape layered on the paper.
8. The artist will then cut out the circle and glue it on top of the previous shape.

Modifications and Tips:

For artists with more fine motor challenges, draw simple oval shapes on different colored papers and have the artist tear along the edges of paper. Tear straight strips of paper, then layer the pieces.

For artists who have more challenges using scissors, draw simple circles/ovals on the paper and have the artist cut around them.   This makes cutting the shapes simpler

Practice with the artist drawing wavy, straight and curved lines on a practice piece of paper before starting the project. This will help them know and learn the different lines they need for the project.  Have the artist repeat the project multiple times.

Complete half the steps of the project and complete the other half later to simplify the lesson even more.

Older kids can experiment with adding paint or crayons to create designs on flower petals.

Artists can create many smaller flowers in a picture.

Learn more about Georgia O’Keeffe -Life and Art ~ Video

Lessons available in PDF printable download in PSN.MM_Georga O’Keeffe _PDF  

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