Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving
Project
Doris Lee

Volunteer:
Date:
Grade Level:		2nd Grade
Artist:		Doris Lee
Print/Sculpture:		Thanksgiving
Art Vocabulary:		Genre perspective: technique used to represent three-dimensional objects and depth relationships on a two-dimensional – flat – surface. The placement of objects to each other and to a whole portraits landscapes trains horses birds industrial city
I.	Artist
	This biography was submitted by Blake Benton Fine Art
	Doris Emrick Lee, painter and illustrator. Lee was born in Aledo, Illinois, on February 1, 1905. Lee was the daughter of a merchant-banker, she was the fourth in a family of 6 children. Her parents "regarded her tomboyishness with misgiving." They did not, however, object to her drawing, and as she recalls that her "grandmother used to whittle and carve in wood." Her great-grandfather had retired from farming to paint. She was educated at Lake Forest, Illinois and Rockford College, where she was a student instructor in fine arts, and majored in philosophy. Upon graduation she married Russell Werner Lee, a Chemical Engineer from Ottawa, Illinois. They went to Paris for five months and there she studied with Andre L'Hote. Returning to America, she continued her art study in Kansas City under Ernest Lawson, a gifted Social Realist and member of "The Eight," a group of painters associated with the Ashcan Group (see George Bellows' bio).
	Lee later studied at the San Francisco School of Fine Arts under Arnold Blanch. An American born scene painter whose "Exuberantly Peopled Canvasses of bucolic life are expressed the self-confidence and gaiety of a painter who enjoys life. Her artistic style bordered on modernism, Doris Lee has been included in many books on modern art. In 1931 Lee settled in Woodstock Artist Colony in Woodstock, New York and continued to live there, dividing her time between her studio there and New York's Fourteenth Street. She enjoyed the company of many of the top artists in the country. She was an active member/exhibitor at the Woodstock art Association where her works are part of the permanent collection. It was in Woodstock where Lee found the inspiration from nature to paint her best works. Before painting a picture, Doris Lee made many quick pencil sketches which she later used as notes in working out paintings.
	She was known for Genre, portraits, landscapes, trains, horses, birds and industrial city scenes. During her life many prestigious institutions exhibited her works including the Whitney Museum, Carnegie Museum, Pittsburgh, New York and San Francisco's World Fairs, Association of American Artists and others. These works often reflected her Midwestern heritage. The naive almost folksy manner in which she painted made her popular among her contemporaries and patrons as well. She was a member of various art related organizations including, An American Group, American Society of Painters, Sculptors and Gravers and the Woodstock Art Association. She passed away in 1983.
	This biography from the archives of AskART.com
	In 1935, she got national attention for her painting, "Thanksgiving," which, painted in a carefree naive manner, showed a kitchen scene of bustling, humorous activity. The work won the Logan Purchase Prize at the Art Institute of Chicago, but Mrs. Logan, the sponsor of the contest, was so angered by the choice that she launched a campaign calling for sanity in art. However, the painting proved to be very popular and was reproduced many times as postcards and prints.
	Lee was born in Aledo, Illinois, and grew up in a well-ordered domestic environment with women making quilts and pursuing other craft-oriented activities. She graduated from Rockford College, Illinois in 1927 and then studied at the Kansas City Art Institute with impressionist Ernest Lawson and in Paris with cubist Andre L'Hote. Early in her career, she married photographer Russell Lee, a relationship that terminated. In 1930, she studied in San Francisco with Arnold Blanch, whom she married in 1939, and he was the major influence on her signature style, encouraging her to work from nature and paint real-life subjects.
	In 1931, they moved to Woodstock, New York where she was active in the local art association and found inspiration of her paintings of local scenes. She remained there until her death in 1983, but she also spent much time in Key West Florida
	Four years later, she won two mural commissions of a contest sponsored by the United States Post Office department and completed works that were very much a part of the prevalent American Scene painting. She also completed illustrations for "Life" magazine, won the Carnegie Prize in 1944, and co-authored a book with her husband titled "It's Fun to Paint."
II.	The Painting: Thanksgiving
	This picture is filled with life and love. Look for and at the following things:
	Back room: What tasks are being completed by each woman? Look at the turkey steaming; babies fidgeting in the corner; cast iron stove gleaming from sunlight; the shadow that defines the collar of the woman holding the rolling pin The floral pattern on the dresses – dots and splotches of paint Small still-life painting near door – gives a realistic touch Designs on wallpaper Cats marmalade stripes Dog dozes under warm stove to escape commotion
	In 1935 Lee won the Logan Prize, offered by The Art Institute of Chicago, for her painting Thanksgiving celebrates the joys of family ties. The bustling kitchen is filled with life and love as a group of women prepares the annual feast. It is clear that to Lee the meaning of the holiday lies in the ritual of its preparation. Women, children and animals fill the entire composition, including the back room. Every person's character emerges through the way in which she completes her task; even the dog's demeanor is apparent as he dozes under the warm stove to escape the commotion. In this cozy space a steaming turkey emerges from the oven as the table is set, dough is rolled out, and babies fidget in the corner.
	In it she offered a quaint model of domesticity that appealed to those who were tired of the complication of modern life in the 30s. To an age exhausted with the trials of The Great Depression (1929-38), the return to simpler, gentler past became more desirable as the search for a new national identity continued. Her work received public and critical acclaim for its earthy qualities and sense of humor. One critic described her paintings as "fresh, with the charm of innocence."
	The painting, although simple in subject, is filled with tiny details. The cast-iron stove gleams round the edges from sunlight entering the opposite window. A delicate brown line creates a hint of shadow that defines the collar of the woman holding the rolling pin. The floral patterns on the women's dresses are, like the rest of the painting, composed of small dots and splotches of paint. Realistic touches like the small still-life painting near the door, the designs on the wallpaper, and the cat's subtle marmalade stripes make it clear that the painting was inspired by the artist's observations of events of everyday life. Each figure is carefully positioned to create a sense of balance and unity in the painting. The polish effect created by Lee's intelligent use of color and arrangement of figures is evident of her impressive technical skill and use of perspective, honed by study in Italy and France.
	The Artist's national popularity grew through her exposure in the mass media. Life Magazine commissioned many paintings from her. She first depicted sights she encountered on travels through Mexico and Cuba, and later she depicted her impressions of the musical Oklahoma. She also designed ads for the 1948 film The Pirate which were seen by millions of movie goer's all over the country.
	Lee's expert technique gave her work the power of believability. Her talent for painting "the comic frenzy of people in action," as Fortune Magazine put it, earned her the respect of a national yearning for the charm and security of the traditional hearth and home.
II.	Materials and Techniques
	Perspective
III.	Classroom Activities
	This painting is rich in details. Play this game with your students: Show them the image for 30 seconds and then ask questions about what they remember observing. You can ask:
	How many people are in the painting? Describe them.
	Is anything missing from the painting? (Men)
	What are they doing?
	Where are they? Describe the room.
	Does this painting show a scene from today or from long ago? How can you tell?
	Are there any animals in the painting?
	What do the things shown in the painting tell us about their lifestyles?
	What was going on in our country in 1935? (The Great Depression, stock market crash – where people lost all their money, jobs and even homes. Wizard of Oz in the '30s)
	Are there any animals in the picture? What are they doing?
	Is this painting colorful? Dull or bright? Is it too busy for you?
	What do you like about this painting? What do you dislike?
	Tell me 3 different things that are going on in the picture.
	This activity sharpens students' skills of observation, analysis, and interpretation. Students learn how an artist can tell a story with pictures instead of words.
	Thanksgiving is a holiday that can bring families together. Discuss with students their family traditions at Thanksgiving or during other times of the year, noting the differences in belief and styles of celebration. Have students write about and illustrate a favorite family tradition. As an alternative to this activity, have students interview grandparents to learn how their celebrations of Thanksgiving (or another holiday) have changed over the years.
	Discuss the different contributions that family members make to the effective running of a home. What job does each individual have in Doris Lee's work? Have students discuss the roles that family members play on holidays or in daily life.
	Thanksgiving is a time of giving thanks for the people and things in our lives. Have students reflect on the people, particularly family, for whom they are grateful. (As with this painting, extended family plays an important role in many people's lives.) Have students write letters of thanks to different family members, describing and expressing gratitude for their various contributions.
	Draw a picture of the kitchen your Thanksgiving dinner will be prepared on – who's in the kitchen? What are they doing?
	Another activity we used as an "assembly line" approach to this project. Each child receives a large sheet of white construction paper. They put their name on it. For 60 seconds they draw a piece of their Thanksgiving with their family. Switch papers at the end of the time. Draw for another 60 seconds. Switch again. Repeat until time period is used up. (Average 20 minutes). The children were surprised at the end when they got their papers back with a completed Thanksgiving scene.
	TIPS: Some children may find this difficult and stress producing – remind them to have fun with it; give them 10 second warning at 50 seconds; stop watch is helpful; tell them when the project is coming to an end – "We will be passing the pictures only 2 more time, so put the finishing touches on them." This was a fun project for them.
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	Additional Information
	Information from American Seen