Precisionism

Last week, we went to Ft. Worth to the Amon Carter Museum for their biannual homeschool classes. Alexandra had a class with other children around her age, and I got an incredible class with the other parents. We took their fall class last year and I had one of my favorite classes of my life! (That one was on the history of photography - wow!!!)

This fall's class was mainly about how artists use places that have a special meaning to them as subject matter. For instance, American artists in the early 1800's followed Thomas Cole, the Father of the Hudson River School of Artists. They wanted to stop copying European art and do some uniquely American art. They primarily painted outdoor scenes of America with plenty of water, sky, forests, and mountains.

We also talked about Charles Demuth (as they are having a special exhibit) and his paintings of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Demuth was part of the first truly unique American art form called Precisionism. This was in between WWI and WWII and focused primarily on industrial scenes, was very geometric and "flat." Some of his friend Georgia O'Keefe's paintings were also done in the Precisionism styel, but hers were painted mainly of her home in New Mexico.

When I went online to read more about Precisionism, the first painting that came up was this well-known painting of "The Figure 5 in Gold".... by Demuth!!! I think Alexandra & I might have to try to recreate this, or something similar with other numbers that have more meaning to us.

I can't wait for the next class! And, they will be adding a 3rd class this year, based on ages, and Alexandra's class will be on Georgia O'Keefe! I can't wait!!!