(G2,G3) American Indian Legends and Symbols (The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush (Part II)

In The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush, Little Gopher "finds his brushes filled with paint, each one a color of the sunset.

When he is done creating his sunset, he leaves the brushes on the hillside.

When the people awoke, the hill was ablaze with color.

The brushes had taken root in the earth and multiplied into plants of brilliant reds, oranges and yellows".

  

Castilleja commonly known as Indian Paintbrush.

It is the Wyoming state flower, Texas 

Students used water colors to paint sheets of brown paper bags.
We also painted sheets of paper red and green and made our Indian Paintbrush flowers. 

In looking and examining the illustrations on the book, we learned how the Native American Indian used pictorial language to represent words.

The above is the symbol of the sun representing life 

This is the symbol of a Morning Star. The brightest star on the dawn's horizon.

It was considered an important spirit and honored as a kachina with most

Pueblo Indians.

We looked at a reproduction of Indian Fantasy by Marsden Hartley (1877-1943)

This painting is part of his "Amerika" series done in the summer of 1914

It is part of the collection in the North Carolina Museum of Art

We discussed how this artist incorporated mystical references and symbols in his art.

We also discussed the balance and visual rhythm of his composition.

The students commented on the boldness of his colors and patterns.

The sun as a symbol of life giver. Warmth, growth, and all that is good and well.

Home coming symbol.

Student comment: "It looks like a heart".

The thunderstorm symbol represents change, renewal and fertility.

Related to snow which is a higher blessing than rain.  

Horse as a symbol of journey

Teepee, a symbol of a temporary house

Waves as a symbol of the cycles of life, renewal and springtime

Feathers as symbols of prayers, sources of ideas or marks of honor.