Down on the Farm - Art Gallery of Alberta

The Alberta Foundation for the Arts Travelling Exhibition ProgramThe Medium is the Message continuedProcedure1/ Introduction - DiscussionIn the creation of any form of art work, an artist’s choice of medium is a very importantconsideration as the medium used carries messages or information of its own beyondthe subject being rendered. In other words, what can be done in one medium may not beable to be accomplished with another, or the use of one kind of medium may allow theartist to do certain things/create certain impressions, that are different from what can bedone in another medium. In the creation of her Alberta Farm Women series, forexample, artist Dawn Saunders Dahl first created her portraits using digital photographyand then, for some of her subjects, created acrylic portraits as well. Such an approach isseen in the work Gladys seen on the previous page. With students examine these works,focusing on the following questions:1/ Why would an artist create the same work in two different mediums?2/ How does the rendering of an image photographically compare to the rendering of the sameimage using a paint medium? (* in this example, photographic imagery appears more ‘truthful’and specific while the painted versions are much more expressive and, as a result, moreuniversal. The photograph, for example, is perceived as ‘Gladys’ while the paintings couldalmost be of any woman).3/ How has the artist altered the compositional structure of the images and what affect does thishave on the viewer’s ‘reading’ of the subject?4/ How has the artist altered the colour treatment in these images and what affect does this haveon the viewer’s ‘reading’ of the subject? How does this affect the mood of the work? How doesthis affect the actual rendering of the subject (ie: More detailed; less detailed etc.)?2/ Lesson- Have students create a still-life arrangement using a variety of objects ( or have studentschoose a classmate or family member to create a portrait)- Using digital cameras, have students create a number of photographs of their still life/portraitsubject- Have students choose one of their photographs to use as the basis for a painted composition- distribute paint supplies (paper/board/canvas; paints/ paint pallets/ brushes and watercontainers)- Using their chosen photograph as inspiration, have students render their subject using paint- Once paintings are completed have students display both their photographic work and thepainted work and discuss using the questions in the above introduction as a guide.AFA Travelling Exhibition Program, Edmonton, AB. Ph: 780.428.3830 Fax: 780.421.0479youraga.ca