The Meaning of Home

Carter Todd (American, 1947–2004)
Untitled, 1982
Crayon and pencil on paper
8 3/8 × 10 3/8 in. (21.27 × 26.35 cm)
Gift of Anthony Petullo M2012.218
Photo credit: John R. Glemb
James Dixon (Irish, 1887–1970)
Arlin Point, 1966
Oil, pencil, and ink on board
22 × 29 1/2 in. (55.88 × 74.93 cm)
Gift of Anthony Petullo M2012.34
Photo credit: Larry Sanders

This activity was loosely based on one shared in the Milwaukee Writing Project Writing Retreats.

Objective: In this two-part activity, students will experiment with perspective to explore the meaning of home. 

Materials:   

  • Paper 
  • Drawing materials 

Introduce: Artists such as Carter Todd and James Dixon created artwork inspired by where they lived, but they combined different views of the place in one image—a bird’s-eye view of a street, for example, appears alongside a head-on view of a house. In art, this is called multiple perspectives. 

Ask:  

  •  What is a “home”? (a house, a neighborhood, the school, a library, a chuch, or another place in their community?) 
  • Where do you feel most “at home”? 
  • Why might one perspective be more meaningful than another? (For example, I might choose to show my street from a bird’s-eye view, like a map, because it is universal to so many people, but my bedroom is just mine, so I sketch that head-on.) 

Activity 1:  

  1. Have students write down the place that feels most “at home” to them as well as the words and memories they associate with it. 
  1. Students should then illustrate that place using different perspectives in the same sketch. 

Activity 2: 

  1. Have students write a nonfiction prose work about the meaning of their home. Talk with them about perspectives in writing—that is, points of view. 
  1. Students should use at least two different perspectives in their writing. The piece might be based on a specific memory, a feeling, or even a smell or taste that they associate with that place.  
  1. They should use their brainstorming list of words and memories as well as their sketch to help inspire their writing. 

National Standards:  

  • VA:Cr1.2.6a Formulate an artistic investigation of personally relevant content for creating art. 
  • VA:Cr2.1.5a Experiment and develop skills in multiple art-making techniques and approaches through practice. 

Share your artwork with us on social media @milwaukeeart #MAMLearn or email pictures to teachers.mam.org. We’d love to see your creations!