Like A Proud Parent...

I've been teaching a lot of classes lately, and it's been such an incredibly gratifying experience. I feel just like a proud parent when I walk around the classroom and see the fantastic, creative, original work that my students are doing. I learn so much from them!

They listen to my ideas and instructions, then take it to the next level, dreaming up new ways to use what they've learned.

In my one-day workshop yesterday at McMurray Art League, we played musical chairs. The students moved from one table to the next, with only one minute at each station to draw a designated art supply. When it came time to paint their drawings, I gave them only two minutes per sketch.

It was amazing what they accomplished in such a short time, proving my point, that you don't need huge chunks of time to sketch. A minute or two here and there can result in a great page.

 I shared some ideas for page layouts to use when sketching summer flowers...

and they took it from there! Here's a pretty pink composite page...

Even with all my talking, we had plenty of time during the six-hour class for everyone to finish three sketchbook pages.

Next week, we have a day trip planned to Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh to sketch the summer flower show. I think they're ready!

My eight-week Sketchbook Journaling 101 class here at Summerhill is in its fifth week now, and the student artists have come a long way since week one.

They're making a habit of sketching, looking for things that might catch their eye during the day, to record on the pages of their sketchbooks.

I love seeing what they bring to class each week...
 

but one of the best parts of the class is the support they give to each other...

I always urge my students to encourage themselves about their own work as much as they encourage each other in class. I hope they take that to heart, because they each have an artistic voice and view of the world that is unique to them. I love helping them discover it.