Painters Born in the 1800s 1800s Painters    

Lesson 9: My Shanty Lake George

by Georgia O'Keeffe

Directions

Study the painting for one week.

Over the week:

• Look at the painting.
• Read the synopsis.
• Study the vocabulary words.
• Read about the artist.
• Practice reciting the names of the artist and the painting.
• Complete the enrichment activities.
• Study the review questions.

Synopsis

In Georgia O'Keeffe's landscape, 'My Shanty Lake George,' she portrays, 'the shanty,' an old barn that served as her art studio during her time at Lake George, a lake in upstate New York. This work features strong lines and shapes in a Precisionist style. Precisionists painted street, factory, or farm landscapes without people in them. Note the wildflowers, the trees, the dark mountains rising in background, and they grey clouds hovering overhead.

Vocabulary

Landscape: A wide view of the countryside, or a painting of this view.
Shanty: A small, crudely built shack.
Studio: A room where an artist works.
New York: A north-eastern state of the United States.
Precisionist: Paintings featuring modernization and technology including street, factory, or farm landscapes without people in them.
Hover: Remain in one place in the air.
Overhead: Over the head or in the sky.

Concepts

1. Georgia O'Keeffe, 'Mother of American modernism,' was born in 1887 in Wisconsin.

2. Zoom in and find O'Keeffe's birth state on the map of the United States.

3. Modernism is an artistic movement that embraces breaking with tradition and experimenting with new techniques. Modernism may feature science and technology, change, and new ideas.
4. Many of her works were inspired by nature.
5. She is best known for her later paintings of flowers and southwestern landscapes. (Although UTH features O'Keeffe's earlier works since they in the public domain.)
6. At the end of her life, O'Keeffe lost her sight, but continued undaunted to paint by employing several assistants.
7. She died in New Mexico in 1986 at the age of 98.

Enrichment

Activity 1: Can You Find It?

During the week, study the painting and find the following:

• Cloud
• Mountain
• Mountain Peaks
• Sky
• Barn
• Trees
• Grass
• Roof
• Window
• Doors

Activity 2: Narrate the Painting

• After studying the painting, narrate the scene shown in the painting aloud using your own words.

Activity 3: Complete Vocabulary Activities

• While studying the vocabulary words, point them out in the painting.
• Define each of the vocabulary words in your own words.

Activity 4: Color the Painting   

• Click the crayon above, and complete page 14 of 'First Grade Art History Coloring Book.'

Review

Question 1

What is the setting of the painting?

1 / 2

Answer 1

The setting is a barn near Lake George.

1 / 2

Question 2

Why is the work titled 'My Shanty Lake George?'

2 / 2

Answer 2

The painting shows the barn studio near Lake George which O'Keeffe painted at. She called her studio 'The Shanty.'

2 / 2

❮ ❯

1. What is the setting of the painting? The setting is a barn near Lake George.
2. Why is the work titled 'My Shanty Lake George?' The painting shows the barn studio near Lake George which O'Keeffe painted at. She called her studio 'The Shanty.'

References

'Georgia O'Keeffe.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.

'My Shanty, Lake George.' Wikiart. Wikiart.org. n.p.