Throughout history, many artists have been inspired by their local surroundings in creating works of art. In this webquest, you will learn about some of these artists and then use your own surroundings as inspiration for creating an original work of art.

In this webquest, your task will be to:

1. research artists that have used their local surroundings as the subject of their work by examining images of their work on the Web and answering questions about the work.
2. research characteristics of your own community through the Web and other local resources such as the library, people in your community, the Chamber of Commerce, and so on.
3. make decisions about what in your community is interesting and worth representing in a work of art.
4. create a work of art based on these ideas with the intent of expressing characteristics of your community to others.

The following activities can be done with or without a partner:

Part One

A. To begin this webquest, select two artists listed in the resources section. Spend time examining their work and reading their biographies and descriptions about why they produced each piece. Answer the following questions as you look at each piece by writing your responses on the worksheet provided. Share your answers with the rest of the class. While sharing notice the similarities and differences in what you and others in the class found.

1. How would you describe the place represented in the work? Make note of the things in the work that lead you to describe it in this way.
2. How do the colors, mediums, styles, and objects used in the work affect the idea you have of what the place is like?
3. What stands out to you and seems most interesting about the place?
4. Why do think the artist chose to represent the place in this way?

B. Next, imagine what it would be like to visit or live in the place represented in one of the works that you looked at above. Write a description in three to four paragraphs about what you might see in the place, what you might spend your day doing, what people who live there might be like, and so on. Make sure to include characteristics about what it would feel like to live there such as "it would feel rushed" or "it's very relaxing" or "it's always cold" or "I love the heat." Share your descriptions with the rest of the class. Pay attention to the responses of others in the class. Think about the place they are describing. Try to imagine what the place would look like from the description?

Part Two

A. Now that you have looked at works by other artists and you've seen how they have been inspired by their surroundings, it is time to look at your own local surroundings. First, search the Web for information about the area you live in. Links to sites that may help you in this search are given in the resources section. You can also look at your local library for information, go to your local Chamber of Commerce for brochures and other resources, and interview different people in your community. Use at least two resources in order to find out new information about where you live. While you are searching make note of the things you discover and spend time answering the questions below. Record all of the information you find and your answers to the questions on the worksheet that is provided.

1. What new information did you find out about your area?
2. Considering all the new information you found, what seems most important about your community? What makes you say this?
3. How is your area described by others? What do they say it is like to live there?
4. Briefly describe the area in your own words making sure to include the characteristics or specific places that you think are most important.

Part Three

Now that you have learned more about your surroundings, create a work of art based upon what you have discovered.

A. Decide what you would like to represent in your piece by answering the following questions. Record your answers on the worksheet provided.

1. What would I like other people that look at my work of art to know about my surroundings?
2. What are the most important characteristics of my surroundings?
3. What feelings should I portray about the place in which I live?
4. What specific places, if any, would best represent my surroundings?
5. How can I represent these things in my image? What colors, style, lines, objects, and so on need to be included?

B. Using the paints, the brushes, and the paper that your teacher provides, create a picture that you feel best represents your surroundings. Make sure to consider all of your responses to the questions on the last worksheet.

C. Display your work with the work of everyone else in the class. Look at their pictures and pay attention to the things that they decided to represent. How are these things different from your choices? How are they the same? Share with the class what inspired you to create the picture you did.

Ideas For Going Further

• Work together as a class to create a mural based on the information you found out about your community.
• Instead of painting a picture, document your local surroundings using a camera and then use these photos to create a website as a class about your community.

The following links are for Part One. Choose two artists from the list to study further. On each page, images of the artist's work are given. To see a bigger view of the image click on the image.

Edward Hopper

nmaa-ryder.si.edu/collections/exhibits/hopper/index.html
This link has many images to choose from. Select one image of a place to examine further.

Ando Hiroshige

www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/hiroshige
On this page choose an image and click on it to make it larger.

Georgia O'Keeffe

ncartmuseum.org/collections/highlights/20thcentury/20th/1910-1950/038_lrg.html

sheldon.unl.edu/HTML/ARTIST/O'Keeffe_G/NYNight_SSI.html

www.nbmaa.org/Gallery_htmls/Okeefe.html

Richard Estes

hirshhorn.si.edu/collection/search.asp?Artist=Richard=Estes&Title=&Date=&Nationality=&School=

diamondial.org/cgi-local/DiaImage.cgi?acc=1985.30

Red Grooms

www.clemusart.com/museum/collect/world/high05.html

John Sloan

www.ou.edu/fjjma/collections/american/sloan-chimayo.html