Altered books workshop participants playing hard, working hard, getting creative
I remember the first art classes I ever took when I was in college. The stress, the terror, the anxiety. On the first day of class, teachers gave us lists of art supplies to buy. Even with a list, it was baffling to walk into an art supply store and try to figure out where to find the items on the list. And then, the list wouldn’t be specific. A number 6 round acrylic paint brush? How many of those are on the paint brush rack? How many different brands? And why aren’t all number 6’s the same size? What’s with short handles versus long handles?
Not only are there are many choices but everything is so expensive. For a person who is thinking about starting to draw or paint or make collages or books, buying supplies can be overwhelming. So much that you might find yourself backing out of the store and making tracks back to the safety of your car.
Perhaps you’ve purchased a book about drawing or painting and you’ve lucked out and gotten a good one. You have a book and you’ve got some supplies, now how do you get started?
Sometimes the more you’ve read and the more art or craft supplies you’ve bought, the more overwhelming the prospect of getting started becomes. That pile of supplies and art how-to books gathers dust and you feel guilty and frustrated that you’ve gotten this far and are now stopped dead in your tracks.
That’s what workshops are for! After teaching art for many years at all different levels and for all different ages, I know how to get people started. I teach my students in a logical sequence so that the participants are able to gradually build skills and confidence. When I teach workshops, I provide all the materials. Participants get to mess about with a variety of supplies relating to the particular workshop. In the end they will know what the supplies are for and how to use them. They’ll understand how to get started. We work on what to do when a “mistake” happens and even more importantly, the value of learning to actually enjoy the unintended things that inevitably happen when you’re being creative.
I remember what it’s like trying to get started. I also know how it feels to do art for awhile and get interrupted by various life events–it can be incredibly difficult to get started again. I love teaching workshops because I can be helpful in launching people into living more creative lifestyles. Give my workshops a try–you won’t regret it.
The list and description of my January and February workshops can be found on the workshop page of this website.