Earth Energy

About the Artist and Artwork

Smith, Jaune Quick-to-See (American, born 1940)

Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, artist and activist, offers political points of view in her paintings. The symbolic meanings she bestows on her paintings are often underscored by her use of materials. For the artist, who was raised on a Montana reservation, maps and Native American Ghost Dance subjects speak to personal identity as well as to cultural inheritance.

Browning of America addresses themes of cultural oppression and environmental loss. Here, Smith regenerates centuries-old petroglyphic markings, found carved in stone, to depict male and female figures along with the buffalo, antelope, and other legendary animals that once roamed this vast, open continent. These overlay the modern definition of the United States, with the outlines of states and river systems faintly visible under translucent layers of paint. The inclusion of materials cut from newspapers and magazines, which list the “Invaders from the East,” emphasizes the occupation of native lands by Europeans who displaced indigenous peoples. In effect, the drips and smears Smith creates become the veil of passing time and fading memory, formal choices emphasizing alternative viewpoints, but also aiming to encourage new dialogues regarding American history.

Lesson Procedure

Day 1

1. Have students look carefully at the image, Browning of America. This image is accessible on Digital Crocker at crockerartmuseum.org, on the Striking Gold CD ROM, and slides and overheads available for purchase through School Services.

2. Ask the students to describe what colors, shapes and lines they see in Browning of America and provide a definition of mixed media.

3. Lead an open class discussion with questions, and record all comments on the board. Ask:

a. What do you think the artist is communicating with the image of a map? What figures (human and animal) can you identify? What do you think the figures represent?

b. What areas of land has the artist included in this composition? What states and river systems? Where is the equator located in this painting?

c. The artist has used text from newspapers. What text did the artist include and what meaning does it convey?

d. Why do you think the artist chose these colors? What can you say about the texture (paint drips)?

4. Compare the environmental issues that the artist, a Native American born in 1940, might have and the environmental issues Americans are concerned with today. Break students into groups and have them discuss the following science problems:

a. What percentage of the solar energy directed toward Earth penetrates directly to the surface? What happens to the rest of the radiation?

b. What are fossil fuels? What might happen to global temperatures with increased use of fossil fuels?

c. Why would permanent deforestation contribute to potential global warming?

d. Why does air moving from the poles toward the equator turn west?

e. What is the result when a layer of cool air at the surface of Earth is found under a layer of warmer air above it? How can a temperature inversion lead to air pollution?

f. Explain how it’s possible that scientists have found fossils of tropical plants in Antarctica.

g. How does photosynthesis make an oxygen cycle possible?

Day 2 - 3

1. Art production: Lead the class in a discussion of current climatic and other environmental issues relating to Earth energy. Review key ideas discussed on Day 1 regarding the artist’s use of color, line, and newspaper text. Students will create a mixed media artwork that communicates one issue using watercolor paint and computer images printed on an inkjet printer.

2. Have students write two ideas on scratch paper of an environmental issue that relates directly to their personal identities. For each issue, students will list four or five visual representations of those issues (flower, tree, ocean, fish, bird, mountain, etc.), four or five words that communicate something about each issue, and one or two colors.

3. Have students choose one issue to create an artwork. Students will search the Internet and print three images and three words that communicate something about their chosen environmental issue. Print outs can be color or black and white. Advise students to select images that are different sizes and have a lot of light areas, so that background color can show through.

4. Distribute the art supplies. Have students select one primary color for the background of the artwork (review the color palette used in Browning of America with the class). Students will paint the background using watercolor paint on watercolor paper.

5. Let the paint dry completely. While the paint is drying, have students try several practice arrangements of their printed images to see which composition is the most visually compelling. Students should include at least one printed word in their composition. Show students how images overlap in Browning of America.

6. While the paint is drying and students are arranging their compositions, demonstrate how to transfer a printed image. Select a printed image (cut off any excess paper that is around the image) and use a clean paint brush to coat the front of the print with matte medium. Lay the print face down onto the watercolor paper and let it dry completely. After it dries, use a clean paint brush to apply clear water to the back of the print (water should not puddle). Rub the paper off and the image will have transferred to the watercolor paper (it may require more than one application of water to remove the paper). Point out to students that the transferred image is reversed/backwards.

7. Have students transfer the images and glue one or several words onto the composition. Students may add additional watercolor paint over areas of the composition.

8. After their artworks are completely dry, have students write a short description of the issue they chose and why it is meaningful to them on the back of their artworks.