Encouraging the Inner Artist Editors Pick at Open Salon

Those that can't do, teach.


You've heard the saying before and to a newly budding artist in art school, it was death to be a teacher. There was no way I was going to become part of the Bourgeoisie, the elitist or worst of all a Sunday painter. No sir, I was a dedicated deep thinking intellectual that wore my paint on my sweat pants and under my fingernails and proud of it. I would suffer for my art. I was a purest. using the materials of the masters --rabbit skin glue, and oil gesso, made my own damar varnish and stand oil glazing medium and at one point hand ground pigments and boutique made paints. This I was certain was going to put me in the league of the masters.

Youth and stupidity aside, as well as obvious needs for a means to support myself, I have joined the ranks on a certain level, at different times in my life, that which I swore to loathe for all eternity.

Because of being unemployed and this seemed to be my only option, I've been teaching private art lessons this summer. It doesn't stop there, I've decided to try to start a program at the local community center with after school and evening art classes. What I was sure in my youth would deaden my soul has turned out to be a spirit lifting experience. Of course, it doesn't hurt that I've been in positions before this, for which I had to shut down every creative ounce of my being to work at a well paying job. But I will add to this a better frame of reference for which I find inspiration as a teacher: All my life I have prayed "If I could just love and paint" I would be happy. It seemed like a simple request, and now, I believe this is the way it is manifesting.

The art world and the civilized world in general seems to be about us and them. Divide and conquer. Belong to this group and not that. You're truly an artist if you go with my gallery instead of theirs. Do this kind of art-- it's better than that kind of art. Group upon group are formed to leave some out and invite others in. Microcosms of elitist us versus them bud like bubbles in this pool of life. Baptist's are better than Catholics or vice versa. Modernists are better than Traditionalists. We dole out our love carefully by the tablespoon, so as not to put too much of ourselves out there, lest we get hurt or rejected.

In teaching art, I am giving of myself that which I love, with love. I am bringing out the inner artist in my students. It doesn't matter if they are sixty or 12. They come to me with a vulnerability, ready to take a risk and learn. In this high technology age, where children hardly look up for fear they'll miss a text message, or parents in divided families trying to mend their shattered lives, it's a pleasure and honor to know that I am able to touch these lives and perhaps make them a little more beautiful.

I would like to share some of my students and their work with you. I had many other wonderful student besides what I show here, but unfortunately didn't have the foresight to take photos. (Permission was given by the parents to use these photos)
clay and hank 2
This is Clay (father) and Hank (Son). In the painting class I used the photo sitting on the chair as the reference to teach my students. Clay is a house painter by trade so he wanted to learn about mediums to make his painting textured. (impasto) Hank likes abstract art. I teach the fundamentals but try to allow my students to make their painting their own.
Dani with painting This is Dani. She was a good student. She had never painted before she took this class. I think she did very well. She goes to school with my daughter. I think her mother took pity on my situation and signed her up for two classes. She and her sister excelled in my drawing class, too.
Grace painting 600
This is Gracie. She turned 9 the last day of class. She's taken many art classes and enjoyed every one. She has the heart of an artist. She is very
thoughtful in the decisions she makes and asks a lot of questions. She's putting in a special tree that she observed in my front yard, in her painting.
master drawings600
These are some of the ink drawings on hand marbilized paper my students did. You can't see some of them very well but the griffin drawing was a very good likeness of the original master drawing.
I am thankful that I was a part of what these children made.

Please see the link below to see with photos and youtube:
http://www.open.salon.com/blog/comfortcafe/2010/08/05/made_encouraging_the_inner_artist