Found Object Rocking Chair, ca. 1950
Welded and painted steel farm implements
32 3/4 × 21 × 36 1/2 in. (83.19 × 53.34 × 92.71 cm)
The Michael and Julie Hall Collection of American Folk Art M1989.186
Photo credit: Efraim Lev-er
Many of the works in the Accidental Genius exhibition are made from found materials. Found materials are common objects (like house paint, cardboard, or other leftover materials and odds and ends from around the house or rummage sales) or recyclable materials (magazines, cans, paper), all of which are inexpensive or free.
In your classroom, collect discarded objects and recycle them for use as art. Be inspired by the shapes, colors, and themes that your class saw in the exhibition and let students loose.
This project could be used to create a “community of art” in your classroom.