Form and Function—Shoe Painting in Middle School Art

As part of their fiber arts unit, eighth-graders in Elissa Donovan’s art class completed an activity that melded pop art and footwear. “It’s just a way of looking at a period of art in the last century,” Donovan said. “Students learned that pop art emerged during a time when mass media was just beginning.” Students picked an image from popular culture and painted it on shoes. Some of the images depicted the works of artists Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, and Jim Dine. They also portrayed a range of subjects, including popular cartoon characters and binge-worthy streamed TV shows.