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| One of the "crew" hard at work. |
Thoughts on Teaching.
I have been teaching oil painting for over 15 years. My classes were held at my gallery in
Belfast, Maine, but as the gallery grew, I gave up my classroom and moved
classes to my home studio.
Over the years, my students have ranged in age from 9 years
old in my Junior Class to over 80 years old in my Adult Class. Most of my students studied with me for many
years. It was a joy to watch my 9 year
olds grow into teens and after they graduated high school, I lost them to their
new, busy adult lives.
My Adult Class has seen many students come and go. I do have my main students that have been
with me for many years. We meet at my
home studio weekly. They are my
dedicated “crew” and work very hard to incorporate the principals and theories
of oil painting into their work.
It is a misconception by non-artists that if you know a few
rules you can easily create a good painting. The variables in a good painting are unlimited. Shapes, tones, color, edges, color harmony,
lighting conditions, surface quality, linear and aerial perspective,
composition – the list is endless and change with each painting. Landscapes, still-lifes, portraits – they
all present their own set of variables.
When I was teaching at the gallery, summer visitors would stop
in and sign up for a few lessons. They
had just bought their first paint kit and wanted to learn to paint. They were the most difficult students, as
they didn’t understand that it takes many years to grasp the principals of
painting and more years of hard work to put these principals and theories
together. I knew they would leave
frustrated but hopefully these first few classes would peak their interest and
they could go on from there. They also
left with a greater appreciation of the art we displayed at the gallery.
It is my greatest pleasure to see my students enter shows
and win awards. And to see the smile on
their faces when they bring their ribbons and awards to class. We all celebrate together because we understand the hard work and
commitment that has led to this achievement.
So, to any new student – don’t judge your abilities too
soon. It takes years of hard work and
dedication to become a good artist. Sometimes life gets in the way, so study, read art books, find a good
teacher and keep painting. As your
understanding and technical skills improve you will realize that all good
artists are always students. The more
you know about painting, the more you realize just how much more there is to
learn. The road will be bumpy in places
but don’t give up. It is a fascinating
journey.
For more information, please email me or visit my
websites.
Thanks for visiting,
Celene
Well said Celene....wish I lived closer and cold take lessons.....instead I knit....:)
ReplyDeleteAnd you knit beautifully! Remember when you taught me to knit? I'm still not very good.
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