Learn more with this project!
Travel Kit: Any artistic medium of your choice–paper, pens, pencils, colored pencils, paint, etc.
Your Destination: Pennsylvania is home to numerous art galleries and museums. Celebrate the rich artistic heritage of notable PA artists such as Andy Warhol, Mary Cassatt, Henry Ossawa Tanner, Keith Haring, and more.
On the Path:
Step 1: Visit a gallery, museum, or observe public art, focusing on color, texture, and storytelling. Notice how some artists use light, motion, and vantage point to show action and mood.
Step 2: Thomas Eakins was a rower as well as an artist, and his most famous works are of oarsmen taking part in the sport. Look at some of Thomas Eakins’ rowing inspired paintings The Pair-Oared Shell (1872), The Biglin Brothers Racing (1872), and The Oarsmen (1874).
Step 3: Andy Warhol is an artist known best for his influential work in Pop art, especially his screen prints and works featuring the Campbell’s soup can. Warhol’s work favors bright colors and repetition, as in the Marylin Diptych (1962). He was also a photographer, early digital artist, painter, videographer, and worked in a variety of other mediums. Warhol’s work shows a commitment to flexibility and artistic innovation. In what way does the artist you’ve chosen to research show range? What are stylistic consistencies in their work? Consider how working across media might have helped Andy Warhol as an artist.
Step 4: Then, create your own work of art inspired by a local artist in a medium of your choosing.
Group Tour: Visit one of Pennsylvania’s many art museums and choose an artwork to recreate in your own style! Share with us on social media using #ArtSphereInc to tell us about your piece and what inspired you.
Extend the Journey:
Vocabulary: Gallery, medium, motion, pop art,
Resources and Visual Aids:
Enjoy a gallery walk and reflection, allowing yourself to share how local art history influenced your creative process.
- Allentown Art Museum: (Allentown) This museum offers a collection of over 19,000 works, including European and American art, as well as textiles.
- The Andy Warhol Museum: (Pittsburgh) This museum is dedicated to the life and work of Andy Warhol, featuring an extensive collection of his art and archival materials.
- Brandywine River Museum of Art: (Chadds Ford) This museum is renowned for its collection of American art, particularly works associated with the Wyeth family.
- GoggleWorks Center for the Arts: (Reading) This center is housed in a former goggle factory and features teaching studios, artist studios, exhibition galleries, and a 130-seat film theater.
- Erie Art Museum: (Erie) This museum offers a diverse collection of art, including contemporary works and regional pieces.
- Martin Art Gallery at Muhlenberg College: (Allentown) This museum offers exhibitions and collections that support the college’s educational mission.
- Michener Art Museum: (Doylestown) This museum features a collection of Pennsylvania Impressionism and other American art.
- Palmer Museum of Art: (Penn State’s University Park campus in State College) This museum boasts the largest art collection between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, with admission always free.
- The Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art: (Altoona and Ligonier) This museum showcases regional and national artists across various mediums.
- The State Museum of Pennsylvania: (Harrisburg) This museum provides insights into Pennsylvania’s history, including its artistic heritage.
- Susquehanna Art Museum: (Harrisburg) This museum offers contemporary art exhibitions and educational programs for all ages.
- The Westmoreland Museum of American Art: (Greensburg) This museum features American art from the 18th century to the present, with a focus on regional artists