Masterpiece: In Celebration of the Cherry Blossom: Japanese Art, Culture and Beyond

Keywords: Line, Culture

(Show CD of artwork to students during the lesson) Grade: Kindergarten Month: March/April Activity: Blossoming Cherry Branch

Background on Japanese Cherry Blossoms: For thousands of years, the flowering cherry tree has been a stable

image within the Japanese culture and art. Every year, during the two week blossom period, the Japanese celebrate

the “hanami” which includes cherry blossom viewing parties to focus on the transient nature of life and quiet celebrations. In modern Japan, the blossoms continue to be celebrated in the springtime but have now taken on a more party element with extravagant picnics, lots of sake (a warm rice drink), and entertainment.

The cherry blossom is extensively used in Japanese art, for both their natural and delicate beauty and the image they represent.

The form and color of the cherry blossom represent the traditional Japanese value of purity and simplicity which is why it may be a prevalent icon combined with geishas, royalty, samurais, temples, or exquisite landscapes.

The Japanese school term begins in April, making the cherry blossom much like the American symbol of the apple in relation to the first day of school.

In Buddhist tradition, the breathtaking but brief beauty of the blossoms symbolizes the short-lived nature of life. (Cargile, 2011)

The cherry blossom is also tied to the samurai (an aristocratic Japanese warrior that dominated the military between the 11th and 19th centuries) culture, representing the fleeting nature of the samurai’s life and symbolizes his drops of blood. (Frederic, 2002)

The flowers last for a few weeks, but during that time, the cities and mountainsides are full of the light pink blossoms that have been depicted in a variety of views and forms by famous Japanese artists and woodblock printers.

In the United States, The National Cherry Blossom Festival (began in 1935) is a spring celebration in Washington, D.C., commemorating the March 27, 1912, gift of Japanese cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo to the city of Washington. Mayor Ozaki donated the trees in an effort to enhance the growing friendship between the United States and Japan and also celebrate the continued close relationship between the two nations. (Wiki)

The two-week celebration in Washington begins on the last Saturday of March and is jammed-packed with events, food, classes, performances, sporting competitions, and fireworks.

KEY CONCEPTS

Lines are the basis of all images as they define and outline all shapes Lines in art are used to show emotion, texture, movement and direction. Draw different types of lines on dry erase board and talk about what they

indicate: - Vertical and straight lines show strength, power, height, beginning and end points, up or down direction - Horizontal lines show calmness, quiet, growth, perspective, separation of earth and sky, left or right direction - Spiral or wavy lines show movement, flowy, lightness, playful, happy, dancing, gyrations - Zigzag lines show confusion, anger, frustration, rigidness

Possible Questions: o What sounds could you hear if you were in the painting? o What types of lines do you see? (curved, straight, wavy, zigzag) o Where are these lines? o Which line is the strongest? Which way is this line going? What does this

line represent? o Which way are the other lines going? o What do these lines represent?

o Do you feel these lines moving? How? o What do the red dots represent? o Where do you see negative space? Sky o What type of a shape does the image make? organic o Does it take up the entire page? o Is this a happy picture? What makes you think that?

Activity: Blossoming Cherry Branch

Note to Grade Coordinator: Cut the 12”x18” water color paper in half the long way to create 6”x18” sheets. Also, dilute the black paint with the black liquid watercolor (50/50) and put in the small plastic bottles with the twist tops.

Materials Needed: 6”x18” water color paper; diluted black paint in the small plastic bottles with twist tops; pink paint (mix white with red 50/50); straws; Q-Tips; small containers (an egg carton) for pink paint; mats for desks.

Explain Activity: students will create a blossoming cherry tree branch to honor the Japanese culture and celebrate the annual National Cherry Blossom Event in Washington, D.C.

Process: 1. Give each student a desk mat, sheet of the 6”x18” water color paper, a

straw, a Q-Tip. Give each student an egg carton with a little dollop of pink paint.

2. Place a student/teacher name tag on back of paper. 3. Art Volunteer: Demonstrate the proper way to blow out on the straw and

have students practice. Lay some ground rules about not blowing too hard so the paint doesn’t get on themselves or their neighbor. The idea is to have a controlled motion to create an interesting branch.

4. Art Volunteer: Using the diluted black paint in the bottles, drag a jagged lined across the long (horizontal) side of the page to represent a large branch. Give the branch some interest in that it doesn’t have to be in a straight line. Make sure there is enough black paint for the main branch so the students can blow the paint outward for smaller limbs.

5. Have students use their own straw in the way you demonstrated and have them blow the black paint to create the main branch and to form smaller limbs. The paint should move out depending on the direction of their straw creating these finer lines. Have students blow the line to make wavy, zigzag lines.

6. Art Volunteer Note: You may have to periodically drip more black paint to the branch to make this work but not too much so it doesn’t dry.

7. When the black paint is dried, use the Q-tip and pink paint to dot in the flowers on the Cherry Blossom Branch. They may dot a single dot or a cluster of five for the full flower. Demonstrate. Remind the students that they shouldn’t use the Q-tip as a paint brush.

Traditional Japanese Woodblocks depicting Cherry Blossoms

Umetaco Azechi, Bird with Flowers Umetaco Azecho, Bird Flying Over Cherry Blossoms,

Hirosake Castle, 1953

Kawase Hasui, Cherry Blossoms and Moon at Matsuyama Castle, 1953

Kawase Hasui, Spring Evening at Toshogui, 1931; Castle Fine Arts Kawase Hasui,

Ueno Park, 1931; Castle Fine Arts Kawase Hasui, Myohon Temple, 1931; Castle Fine Arts

Toyohara Chikanobu, Cherry Blossoms, c.1887

Toyohara Chikanobu, Flowers in the Countyside, c.1887

Toyohama Chikanobu, Flowers in Yokoyama, c.1887

Kyoto Cherry Tree Woodblock Print, artist/date unknown

Modern Day Print, Cherry Tree Blossom

Abstract Cherry Blossom Branch

Modern Cherry Blossom Room Divider

Cherry Blossom Birdies by Mendy and Megan Winburg Pottery Barn Kids

National Cherry Blossom Festival 2011 Poster, Washington, D.C.