Charlie the (Traveling Artist) Stink Bug : Matisse Cut-Outs

10/29/15

Matisse Cut-Outs

When Henri Matisse, the Impressionist painter was older he was confined to a wheelchair but continued to make art work. His "cut-outs" were works of art made by using scissors to cut out shapes from different colored paper. He arranged and glue the shapes in compositions in which he made over 250 of in about ten years. He called this method, "drawing with scissors." Matisse's cut-outs can be classified as a collage. Why is this true?

More About Matisse Cut Outs

The Parakeet and the Mermaid at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam

Quick Video of Matisse Drawing with Scissors

Matisse Cut Outs Video

Charlie's Beginnings

It all started in a school art room during the 2014-15 school year when a stinkbug distracted students from working on their art projects. The art teacher revealed to the students that this stinkbug was his friend named Charlie. He also assured his students that Charlie just liked to be around the creative process; he loved art. Also, it was best to not worry about Charlie and yell out about him because this scared him and if he came close, they might smell his cheap and stinky cologne. The students that saw Charlie quickly got used to him.

One day after the weather grew cold and it was winter in Pittsburgh, some students noticed that Charlie was not around any more. One student asked the art teacher where Charlie was, because they could not see him anywhere in the art room. The art teacher told them that Charlie had left and gone to Florida for the winter, of course.

Later in the school year, when the snow was gone, baseball season had started, and students and teachers started thinking more and more about summer, Charlie the Stink Bug returned to the art room. Most of the students were happy to see him, as long as he did not fly around the room and let them smell his bad cologne. To the surprise of the art teacher, Charlie had not just spent the winter in Florida. Charlie, who is an artist and art lover, had spent those months traveling to see important works of art.

And this was only the beginning.

Charlie the (Traveling Artist) Stink Bug

Charlie's Trips

10/29/15

Matisse Cut-Outs

Charlie's Map