Family Art Making: Driskell Collage + Mixed Media
Create a collage inspired by the artwork of David Driskell
In response to the David Driskell: Icons of Nature and History exhibition, artist Rachel Gloria Adams designed an all-ages art-making activity for home or anywhere you like to create.
DUAL APPROACHES to bringing in David Driskell’s artwork:
Version 1: Adults review selected artwork (listed above, click to enlarge images) to help inspire child’s work and choose which ones they will show to children – I like to show the reference artwork at the end so that children don’t feel the pressure to recreate the original.
Version 2: Show child each selected artwork (listed above) and let them decide what they gravitate towards more. Be sure to share the title of the artwork and let them be creative with it.
*For finding the artwork online, you can search online for the title of the listed artwork and David Driskell. Example “Flowing Like a River by David Driskell”.
Tips for Creating
There is no wrong way to do this project – but here is one way!
• Adult initiates conversation about what story the child wants to tell
• You can ask “what do you think is happening here?” “what story would you want to tell through your art?” “what colors, shapes, and lines can we make to help you tell your story?”)
Materials Needed:
Black paper
Collage paper (magazine paper and/or other found recycled papers at home)
Glue (glue stick or liquid glue), or tape
Cray pas or crayons
Optional: paint
Make art!
This activity can be done in multiple rounds and layers, adding as many as the child would like.
Round 1: glue collage paper onto black paper in any arrangement (there is no right or wrong way to do this), leaving time to dry . Take a break for snack!
Round 2: add cray pas or crayons in any design – get creative! If feeling adventurous for paint, add a round of paint after the cray pas round and make sure to leave time to dry.
Try to fill the page as much as possible, repeating the different rounds, with as many rounds and layers as child is interested in.
Share Your artwork with the pma!
Email photo of artwork to Learning@portlandmuseum.org or share a photo of your finished artwork to The Susie Konkel Family Gallery. We look forward to seeing what you made!
Photo by Jill Hoyle Photography
Rachel Gloria Adams is a textile designer and painter living in Portland, ME. Rachel has worked as an arts organizer and educator and has exhibited her artwork throughout New England. Her most recent project and business venture TACHEE utilizes imagery she developed through painting as textile print.
Rachel and husband, Ryan Adams, have recently taken on a series of murals, Piece Together Project, throughout Portland’s East Bayside neighborhood celebrating locals that have shaped the community.