Feb 16, 2022 Activities & Education This activity is inspired by Amy Sherald’s work Precious jewels by the sea. Learn more about this artwork and create your own personal collage including friends and those you love. Look Closer: Amy Sherald, Precious jewels by the sea, 2019, oil on canvas, 120 in. × 108 in. × 2 1/2 in. Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas. What does this image remind you of? Do you have any images like this in your home? Amy Sherald created this painting of four Black teenagers enjoying everyday life. This is an image we don’t typically see in a museum. What everyday activities do you do with your friends? Look at the patterns and colors in this painting. Where is your eye drawn to? Amy Sherald is a painter who focuses on painting portraits of Black people in everyday settings. A portrait is a picture of a person, showing their appearance, personality, and mood. Sherald paints Black people with gray-black-colored skin, letting the viewer reconsider ideas they have about race. If you were to create a portrait, who would you paint? Activity: Make a Friendship Collage! Materials Paper Decorative paper Glue stick Markers Instructions Step 1: Pick out a photo that represents friendship to you. This could be a picture taken recently, or in my case, a childhood photo. I chose this one because I wanted to cherish and show appreciation to my sister, who is also my best friend. Cut the background of the photo out, leaving only the figures. Step 2: Cut out decorations to add around the photo. Think about how you can show different emotions through shapes and colors. I added yellow for my sister’s favorite color and orange for me. Step 3: Using markers, add more details to decorate your collage! Helpful hint: Find an old frame that you aren’t using at home or find one at a local donation center. Make your collage the same size that fits in the frame to put it on display! Have fun creating! Written by Marlie Allgood, art instructor, Crystal Bridges.
