Art at the Confluence

A meeting or coming together; a junction of two rivers

A unique type of clay found in present-day Missouri

The exchange of goods or services

Follow the links below to view highlighted works of art for this section, explore looking prompts, and learn more about each work of art.

Compare and contrast the two Seth Eastman images of the Mississippi River. Write a list of similarities that you find and a list of differences.

Find a contemporary image of the Mississippi River by searching online or in the school library. Compare the Eastman paintings to current images of the Mississippi River. How has the river itself changed? How has the landscape around the river changed? How have the activities on the river changed? What has remained the same?

Write a paragraph describing the similarities you observe and another describing the ways that the Mississippi River and life around it have changed from the 1840s to now.

Research more about the confluence region in the 1840s. Write a journal entry as if you were traveling down the Mississippi River with Seth Eastman. In your journal entry, describe what you see and what type of experiences you have.

Research more about the artist Norman Akers and/or the Osage Nation. Present your findings to the class. Share how your research has influenced your understanding of Norman Akers’ painting Dripping World.

Extension
Write an essay, create a poster, or design another creative way to share your research with others.

Norman Akers explores overlaps and intersections of place, identity, myth, and history. In his artwork, he often uses a process of layering (placing images on top of one another), as we see in Dripping World. Sometimes he pulls from contemporary imagery, such as photographs and news articles, and combines these with representations from his own life and experiences.

Experiment with the process of layering to explore your own personal and local histories. Begin by researching about your community. Interview a family or community member to learn about their experiences and history. Then brainstorm some of your own stories. Begin by writing or drawing some memories from your own life. Then practice layering by using collage. Collage is a technique that involves cutting or tearing images and pasting them on top of one another. You may want to collage images that you find around you, such as in newspapers, magazines, or online. Or you may want to use images that you create by painting or drawing them. Explore more of Norman Akers’ paintings for inspiration.

Create a map of Seth Eastman’s journey down the Mississippi River, beginning 100 miles above St. Louis and ending 16 miles above the mouth of the Ohio River, to correspond to his two paintings included here. Look at a contemporary map of the Mississippi River. If you were to follow this journey now, what cities, towns, sites, or natural features would you pass? Choose two to three additional points to stop at and add them to your map. Add a legend to your map to show the types of places where you would stop. Color in your map to reflect the geography of your area.

Extension
Design a boat that would take you down the river. Draw an image of your boat.

Now think about what items you might want to bring with you if you were going to travel down the river in the boat. Create a list of the 10 most important items you would want to take. Write an explanation for why you would bring those 10 items.

Artists like Seth Eastman and Anna Von Phul captured moments from their travels through drawing and painting. Drawing can be a way to connect more deeply with the environment around you, record moments, and observe details. Take a walk around the school building or campus or take a walk at home. Create a detailed drawing of a landscape, object, or element from your walk that you find interesting, and then write a statement describing what you drew and why you were interested in it. Create a gallery walk in the classroom by displaying each student’s drawing on the walls or tables. Walk around the class and view your collective journeys.

Extension
Create your own sketchbook to record observations of the world around you. Collect new or recycled paper and cardboard or cardstock. Fold and staple the sheets together or punch holes to tie them together with yarn or string. Carry your sketchbook with you to school, the park, on walks, at home, or as you travel from place to place. Draw or write about the people, places, and things you notice.

Choose three works of art from this section. Think about how these three works of art are connected. Write a story that involves all three of them. Include observations or information you have learned from viewing and discussing these works of art in class.

Extension
Draw and color images to illustrate your story.

The clothing we viewed in this section illustrates many details about the materials artists had available and elements of their cultures they wanted to share. Using materials you find or have available at home or school, work in a small group to design a wearable outfit that shares something about your school culture.

Extension
Create a class fashion show to display your designs and share about your school culture.

Research trading posts. Consider the following questions: What kinds of items would you find at a trading post? How did these items get there? Why were trading posts established? Who came to the trading posts? Who was already living in the area when the trading posts were established? What were the effects of trading posts on the environment and the people who lived in the area prior to their establishment?

Extension
Choose an object from your research. Based on what you have learned about trading posts, and your own imagination, write a story about how the object arrived at the trading post. What travels did it take? What adventures did it have? What people or other objects did it encounter?

Choose an artist or subject from this section to research. Identify one or two questions that you would like to learn about (for instance, Who was Mató-Tópe and what was his life like?). Search online or through the library for more information about your subject. Create a poster to present what you learn.

Design an imaginary creature that represents a confluence, or a coming together, of elements. What is a creature that might honor the coming together of multiple stories? What features would this creature have? What unique attributes would it carry? What environment would it live in? What adaptations would help it live in this environment?

The content in this resource has been designed to align with Missouri and Illinois state learning standards and competencies across a variety of grade levels. For each section, we have highlighted a selection of social studies and visual arts standards that have strong connections to the content and activities presented. There are a number of other standards and content areas, such as English language arts, that may also connect with these resource materials. Select the links below for access to key standards and related resources.