After months of rigorous research, development and testing Art in Action has added a new art lesson based on the sculpture of Japanese-American artist and California native Ruth Asawa (1926-2013).

Asawa’s work helped change the definition of sculpture. In 1950 she submitted an artwork made of her signature looped-wire to the San Francisco Museum of Art. Though it was initially accepted, she later received a letter of rejection. Museum officials weren’t sure her piece was sculpture as it couldn’t stand on its own. In our lesson, students learn about Asawa’s rich history, from her time in a Japanese internment camp during World War II to her life as an artist and arts advocate in San Francisco.

In the lesson, designed for use in our 4th through through 8th grade curriculum, students learn art concepts like abstract forms, 3-D biomorphic shapes, positive and negative space and weaving techniques. They apply these concepts in weaving their own looped wire sculptures that can stand alone or become a collaborative classroom sculpture.

We are pleased to offer our schools another opportunity to integrate art lessons with core subjects while teaching their students new skills and concepts. We’ll be adding more lessons like this to our other program levels in the coming months.