Don Montileaux

“Geometric Shapes as Art”

Provided by the South Dakota Art Museum

Brookings, South Dakota

South Dakota Artists Curriculum Unit

Unit of Study: Don Montileaux, painter

Title of Lesson Plan: Geometric Shapes as Art

Grade Level: 3 – 5

South Dakota Content StandardsGeometry:

3.G.1.1 Students are able to recognize and compare the

following plane and solid geometric figures:

square, rectangle, triangle, cube, sphere, and

cylinder.

4.G.2.1 Students are able to compare geometric figures

using size, shape, orientation, congruence, and

similarity.

5.G.1.2 Students are able to identify acute, obtuse, and

right angles.

South Dakota Content Standards

Fine Arts:

Visual Arts Standard Two 3-4:

Students will understand selected techniques which give

artwork detail.

Visual Arts Standard Two 5-8:

Students will describe the various techniques which give

artwork definition and detail.

U.S. History:

3.US.2.2 Students are able to identify a community’s culture

and history.

Assessment Strategies

Class discussion

Observation using VTS

Identification of geometric shapes

Creation of an art project using only geometric shapes

Learning Objectives

Students will learn about South Dakota artist Donald

Montileaux.

Students will evaluate the painting using VTS techniques.

Students will identify geometric shapes.

Students will create an art project using only geometric

shapes.

Time Required One class period of 45 minutes

Materials/Technology Needed Image of Don Montileaux painting: “Box and Border”

Construction paper

Geometric shapes in different colors (either pre-cut or done by

students)

Scissors

Glue

Background Information

Donald Montileaux is a Yellowbird-Oglala Lakota artist. His art

is a reflection of his Lakota ancestors. He has a website that

provides a lot of information about himself and various pieces

of art that he has created. The link to his website is listed

below.

Lesson Description Show students the Don Montileaux painting “Box and Border”.

Have students make observations about this piece using VTS.

This could be done as an entire class.

Discuss with students the use of geometric shapes and patterns.

Students will create an art project using geometric shapes

designing some type of pattern.

Enrichment

Have students research and find examples of the importance

of geometric shapes and patterns in Native American art.

Bibliography/Resources

Native American Painting Collection at the South Dakota Art

Museum

Don Montileaux painting: “Box and Border”

“Donald Montileaux -Oglala Lakota Artist.” Donald Montileaux.

2004 <http://www.montileaux.com/>.

Don Montileaux Presentation to

Students

Don Montileaux

http://www.montileaux.com

Don Montileaux Born January 3, 1948 in Pine Ridge, SD

Oglala Lakota Artist

Primarily a self-taught artist

Did an internship under artist Oscar Howe at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, SD

Credits his personal friend and mentor, the late Herman Red Elk, as his primary artistic influence

Uses his Sioux background as inspiration for his artwork

Bibliography

South Dakota Art Museum Collection

Don Montileaux

“Donald Montileaux – Biography.” montileaux.com. Donald

Montileaux, 2004. Web. 6 April 2010.

“Don Montileaux: Too Close This Time.” South Dakota Arts

Council. 2008 . Web. 6 April 2010.

<http://artscouncil.sd.gov/directories/images/montileaux2.jpg>.

Image Courtesy of the South Dakota Art Museum

Box and Border

Other Examples of

Don Montileaux’s Artwork

Touched

http://www.montileaux.com

Too Close This Time

http://www.montileaux.com