The following resources were originally designed for parents and teachers. But they can also be adapted for any age... even adults! Better yet, everything on this resource page is free.

 

 

WHAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE?

•  Download exhibition guidebooks for understanding. The free workbooks are like a "mini art appreciation" class you can complete at your own speed.

• Download more than 30 different arts ed curriculum units that connect to Arizona State and National  Standards for Arts Education.
  
  
• View hands-on art project "How-To Presentations." Click on any curriculum unit and scroll down for art project PowerPoints.
  
  
• View presentations about artists and artworks from past exhibitions. Its like being on a tour, from your chair. Click on any curriculum unit and scroll down for "Exhibition PowerPoints."

 

GUIDEBOOKS for Understanding Exhibitions

These workbook/guides are designed to help people develop thoughtful questions. Whether you are touring the exhibition or studying independently, these workbooks can help enhance your experiences in understanding art. Each one is based on an exhibition at the Gallery at TCA.

 

Moments, Memory & Time Guide PDF

This guide asks you to consider the powerful role memory plays in all our lives. The selected artists reflect on how memories of people, places and moments in time help shape our personal identities, cultural connections and social bonds.

 

 

 

 

Hear Me, See Me Guide PDF

Focuses on visual art as a communication tool for artists to speak their minds, share ideas, express feelings and seek understanding about the human experience. For them, art is a shared conversation with
viewers about topics like mental health, equity, creativity, aging, identity and more.

 

 

EARTH & SKY Guide PDF

Earth & Sky celebrates the beauty of the southwest from its sunsets and mountains to its blue skies and desert landscapes. The contemporary art in the exhibition also examines timely topics like land stewardship, ecology and cultural traditions that tie us to this place. 

 

 

 

 

 

Fire & Water Guide PDF

Fire & Water explores the complex relationships between people and the environment through the diverse voices of local and national visual artists. The exhibition asks questions about the impacts of these two elements on our everyday lives. The art brings attention to the fragility of resources in the Southwest and the consequences of inaction to climate change.

 

 

Vital Signs Guide PDF 

Vital Signs focuses on the connections between people and the environment. The theme covers a variety of global and local topics including climate change, health and wellness, natural resources, wildlife conservation and more. Thoughtfully selected artists, artworks and programs aim to spark conversations about nature and humanity’s responsibilities as stewards of the earth.

 

 

Degrees of Being Guide PDF

This exhibition celebrates different voices, perspectives and life experiences. whether making art about themselves or others, the featured local artists reveal intimate stories about identity and self-expression. They also bravely dive into personal topics like labor, culture, social justice, immigration, body image and mental health.

 

 

COLOR: the beauty of science and color Guide PDF

COLOR is a juried exhibition of Arizona artists that highlights how color shapes the world in which we live. For visual artists, it is one of the most important communication tools in the creative process. Instantly, color can evoke thoughts, memories and feelings. Sometimes, color expresses ideas even better than words.

(Image by Ryan Carey)

 

EXPLORE: go boldly Guide PDF

Explore looks at space exploration and the cross over metaphors it represents such as human curiosity, pushing known and unknown boundaries and dreaming of what could be. Within the displays are references to the cosmos, nature, technology and the future.

(Image by Granville Carroll)

 

Weave: Construct * Code * Connect PDF

Features artists that intertwine materials,  processes and ideas. Each artist’s style and vision are different, yet they share a common thread, they weave together the worlds of art and technology. 

(Art image by Daniel Nez)

Walk in My Shoes Guide PDF
Address ideas about art, empathy and social understanding between people
(Image by Emily Matyas)

 

 

DRAW Guide PDF 
Celebrates a wide variety of creative media, styles and techniques that incorporate drawing and/or mark making.
(Image: artist Monica Aissa Martinez at work.)

 

 

 

Monster Stories Guide PDF
Features monsters from popular culture, literature and mythology. Theme explores the “other” in society, while the toys and memorabilia from private collectors revealed the nostalgia people have for the stories and characters that scared and fascinated them as kids. 
(Image by Manny Burruel.)

 

 

 

 

Myths, Maps & Legends Guide PDF

These artists follow the tradition of storytellers and old-world cartographers by creating visual narratives to share their own journeys an make sense of the world around them. (Image by Kathryn Maxwell).

 

 

Retro Reaction Guide PDF

Artist are often asked, "Where do you get your ideas?" This guide explore how ten Arizona-based artists respond individually to art and ideas from the past. (Image by Fausto Fernandez)

 

 

 

Water Exhibition Guide PDF

Water is on a lot of people's minds these days, from concerns about conservation to plans for recreation. This PDF is a guide to how some artists respond to the theme of water.

 

 

 

Curriculum Units

The Gallery at TCA's Curriculum Units were developed with nationally recognized art educator Dr. Mary Erickson in collaboration with exhibiting artists and Arizona-based art teachers. Each lesson and hands-on art project has been tested with elementary and secondary students in Arizona classrooms.

These units can also be used by adults who enjoy lifelong learning!
Units also include art appreciation worksheets and PowerPoint presentations featuring artists and artworks from past exhibitions.

 *These lessons are provided free of charge. In exchange, we just ask for your feedback and/or sample pictures of what your students made. Let us know who you are and where you teach through e-mail. 

STEAM (Science* Technology* Education* Arts* Math) Lesson Plans

Biomimicry: nature inspired design

 

 

STEAM: Systems within Systems

 

 

 

Going Green: Sustainability

 

 

 

 

Birds of Feather

 

 

Green and Gray: Natural and built environments

 

 

Arizona Landscapes: Landscape art

 

 

POP CULTURE

Western POP: Facts and fiction of the American West

 

Page to Screen: Art and film inspired by the written word

 

 

American POP: Pop culture from super heroes to science fiction

 

 

 

Cars and Guitars: A Collaboration with Fender Guitars

 

 

 

Chuck Jones: It only looks easy In Collaboration with the Chuck Jones Center for Creativity

 

CLAY * CERAMICS * POTTERY

Juried Biennial: Clay Food and Memory Theme

 

Animal Crackers: Animals

 

 

Clay: Useful or Beautiful?

 

OTHER MEDIA

Merely Players: Costume Design

 

COPPER: Art made or inspired by copper

 

 Realism: From the International Guild of Realism (Point Of View)

 

 

WOOD: Art made of or inspired by wood

 

GLASS: Art made of or inspired by glass

 

 

 

PAPER: Art made of or inspired by paper

 

Masters of Illusion: Tricks of Perfection/Tromp L'Oeil

 

 

 

Public Art: art in public places (Sculpture)

EXPRESSION OF IDEAS

Summer of Love: Tokens of Love

 

Family Matters: Art about family connections

 

Mixing It Up: Building an Identity (Culture)

 

 

Outsiders Within: Personal and Cultural Perspectives
Native American and Latina/o Artist Experiences

 

  Read Me a Picture: Children's Book Illustrators

 

 

 Faces: Art about the human face

 

 

 

Projecting Personas: The public image of Roy Orbison
"What is Cool?"

 

 

 

Twenty Questions: What is it?

 

INQUIRY TOOLS

In the lessons and guidebooks above, you'll see a couple of character mascots who will help guide you through asking good questions and starting interesting conversations. For a quick practice session, pick a favorite artwork and ask the questions below. Its a great way to get to know an artwork.

Please meet Questor the bird who asks questions ...he is curious about understanding artworks.

 
Look: What can I see? Facts about the artwork.

Learn: What can I learn? Contextual facts.

Interpret: What does it mean? Conclusions about meaning.

Compare: How does it compare? Conclusions about connections among artworks. 

 

 

Choose: What choices will I make in my artwork 

Seek: What art ideas can I get from my own life and times? 

Explore: What ideas can I get by looking at other art? 

Plan: What do I want to achieve with my artwork?