Holman

Piecing It All Together-

Art, Poetry, History and Upcycling!

Henrico Learner Profile (HLP) Attributes & Skills

Grade: 8

Class: Art I

DLI Standard: Knowledge Constructor

Learning EXPERIenCE

Dr. Latorial Faison is an American poet, author, and educator. She was the guest speaker at Holman's Black History Month Assembly, 2023.

Bisa Butler is a contemporary textile artist inspired by Black History, historical photographs, vibrant colors, and bold patterns.

After learning about Butler and Faison, Holman Art I students worked in groups to create large quilt-like, mixed media portraits of Rosa Parks, Frederick Douglass, and Ruby Bridges using source photographs. Each of these inspirational Americans were written about in poems for youth by Dr. Faison. A smaller group of students worked on a large, mixed media portrait of civil rights activist Barbara Johns, and student Ella H. wrote an original poem. After our Black History assembly, Dr. Faison, led poetry writing and black history workshops with Holman students.

What the student(s) like about this experience:

On the overall experience:

“I liked working on the group part, I felt everyone did their fair share. I would like to work with a smaller group next time.” – Avrie P.

On the subject matter:

“Rosa Parks was a powerful woman who stood her ground, she is know as the first female activist.” – Ava P.

“I learned that Frederick Douglass was not born with that name and changed his name from a poem.” – John K.

On Artist Bisa Butler from students:

“She wants people unknown in the photographs to be known in her artwork.” – Almin D.

“She wanted to bring LIFE to old photographs by using colorful textiles.” – Rosi Y.

“I want to figure out how she knows what fabric to use and how to properly place everything to make it have meaning that most don’t see at first. – Taylor C.

On the visiting poet, Dr. Faison:

“I liked how she started reading her poem right away and had a strong voice.” – Geovana O.

“I will read her Frederick Douglass poem to the group. “ Aaron W.

“If she didn’t write a Barbara Johns poem. I can write it… I like to write poetry.” – Ella H.

What the teacher(s) like about this experience:

Students sit through assemblies with guest speakers. How can we make this valuable time have a real impact BEFORE it occurs? To be LifeReady is to dig deeper and make community connections with school traditions like an assembly. When we learned the speaker for our Black History Month assembly was local educator and poet, Dr. Latorial Faison, we knew we had a LifeReady opportunity! Besides being a local professor and published author, Dr. Faison wrote poems about Rosa Parks, Frederick Douglass, and Ruby Bridges. Our 8th grade, Art 1 students were learning about contemporary artist, Bisa Butler. Butler’s large, quilted portraits are inspired by Black History, photographs, African textiles, and civil rights leaders. Aha! Starting to make connections! Students were challenged to create upcycled, quilt-like portraits of the same subjects as some of Dr. Faison’s poems! Students chose collaborative groups, read poems, looked through books, photographs, and Butler’s Art! Students repurposed and reinvented materials in different ways! One group had a breakaway trio and created an original poem and portrait about Barbara Johns, The final, large, symbolic, portrait display included Dr. Faison’s printed poems, and coincided with writing and history workshops in the library on assembly day!

Additional Pictures/Media/ARTIFACTS

Students using their source photo to construct their art

Materia used as the base of the quilt

Students arranging some of the mixed media

Students laying out and planning their piece

Original Work created by:

Carrington B., Shannon E., Avrie P., Eleni K., Geovana O., Tiffany T., Valeria T.

ROsa Parks

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Rosa Parks". Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Jan. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rosa-Parks. Accessed 24 March 2023.

Work in Detail

Original Work created by:

Taylor C., Lydia B., Rosi Y., Eli B., Yasmeen T., Ace V., Alyssa H.

Ruby Bridges

Six-year-old Ruby Bridges, three-quarter length portrait, standing, facing front. Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/00651757/>.