Music interpretation drawing, Inspirated by Romare Bearden

Celebrating Black History Month by learning about artist Romare Bearden who was a songwriter, artist, and writer from North Carolina. He describes his experience as an African American through the mediums of collage and oil painting. African American people created a lot of the music we listen to today: hip-hop, jazz, soul, blues, gospel, country. Like many people Romare was inspired by music, especially blues and jazz. He often put trumpets, keyboards, and guitars in his art! 

Introduce instruments: I will bring a guitar and a trumpet—maybe cello to the space for students to draw.  

Play each instrument and ask students what shape sounds like what it makes

Introduce FIRST EXPRESSIONS: Listen to a sample of music—explain first how to do task by listening to snippet and have students point out the different instruments they hear

Step 1: Play 1 minute of blues song while students draw w/colored pencils then Ask questions about feelings, and colors

Step 2: Play 1 minute of hip hop while students draw markers then Ask questions about patterns or shapes

Step 3: Play 1 minute of jazz while students draw w/oil pastels then Set aside paper, then grab 3 new ones: plain white, recycled sheet music, and a favorite color cardstock 

Step 4: pick an instrument to draw with pencil then outline in marker

Step 5: Cut Instrument out of paper, set aside

8: rip up sheet music and glue w/elmers sticks onto cardstock randomly 

9: loosely trace instrument shape onto cardstock with an inch wide gap around then cut out 

9; glue instrument onto cardstock and sheet paper combo .

9: glue that onto FIRST EXPRESSIONS paper then sign

complete! If students are quick they can draw another instrument/go through same process

 Materials : Elmer’s glue sticks, diff colored paper, plain white paper, markers, colored pencils, oil pastels, kids scissors

Sat mornings 10-11:30am

classes for ages 6-12 years old.

10 students per class

We have been having so much interest in our kid's classes the last couple of months that we are now starting to do waitlists for our classes once they fill up, so please get in touch with us if you need to cancel so we can get ahold of the next person. contact us via email: mnmakersandartists@gmail.com 

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Prairie Lakes Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

We have 4 tickets that are FREE for low-income families,  provided by grant funding please use them responsibly

instructor: Abigail Kimble (ARK)