Skip to Main Content

Sam Gilliam's Engaging Art

Explore color field painting and the works of abstract artist Sam Gilliam.

Lesson Plan

Supplies Needed

Gather all the supplies needed to bring your craft ideas to life! From paints and markers to glue and scissors, our crafts section has everything to spark creativity and make every project truly special.

  • Paper

Steps

  • Step 1

    Sam Gilliam (1933-2022) was an innovator in American abstract art. He was born in Mississippi and moved to Washington, DC in the 1960s during the height of the civil rights movement and said that art is the artist's primary means of engaging with the world. He was the first African American to present work at the Venice Biennale, an international art festival that dates back to 1895. He is known for color field painting and for his drape paintings, which are works comprised of unstretched paint-stained canvases that are suspended, draped, or arranged in galleries or outdoor spaces.

  • Step 2

    Have students look at examples of Sam Gilliam's art and research his life and contributions to to the innovation of American painting. Ask them to discuss how art can engage the world.

  • Step 3

    Have students create an abstract painting in the style of Sam Gilliam. Ask them to present it to the class and talk about how they created it and what it represents.

Standards

ARTS: Speculate about processes an artist uses to create a work of art.

SS: Culture: Create, learn, share, and adapt to culture.

Adaptations

Have students explore color field painting, which is characterized by large fields of flat, solid color spread across or stained into canvas. Ask them to research some notable color field artists such as Mark Rothko, Clyfford Still, and Barnett Newman.

Ask students to look at Sam Gilliam's "Swing," a drape painting he created in 1969. Gilliam said the title reflects his desire to "just work and let things go" like the bebop and jazz music he listened to while painting. Have students think about how a music style they like could be reflected in art.