Take A Look
Many people with cognitive and other disabilities seldom get the chance to visit an art museum. With the virtual resources of the Internet, we can now see the Metropolitan Museum of Art collections, the Louvre, and more.
Share these works of art with people as a great experience in observation that can be applied to daily living skills. Instead of just glancing casually at the world around you, take a look, and you’ll discover many things.
Here’s a painting by John Singer Sargent, “On the Veranda.”
What time of year is the setting for the painting? Fall? Winter? Summer?
How many people are in the picture?
How many women are in the picture?
What are the women doing?
What color is the man’s tie?
What direction do you think the sun is coming from?
Does this scene take place inside or outside the house?
Do you see any flowers?
How many people are wearing hats?
Do you sew? Would you like to learn?
Do the people in the picture seem relaxed?
Does the image seem very sharp or soft?
How does this picture make you feel?
Do you think this painting was made yesterday or a long time ago? What tips did you see in the painting that helped with your answer?
Do you think the artist, John Singer Sargent, was trying to show a realistic view of that day on the porch, or did he want to give you his “impression” of the scene rather than all the details you might see in a photograph?
You can ask many more questions, but I’m sure you understand. The exercise helps the observer really focus and take an active role in the experience. This exercise can be done with any work of art and used with one person or a group. Using a computer monitor or SmartBoard when involving a group is best.
I hope you all have fun with this!