The Lakewood Arts Council offers many types of classes in
many different mediums. For the
beginning student just starting out, to the accomplished painter wanting to
perfect their skills, or the eclectic artist wanting to try something new,
there is a class to suit their needs.
Whether it be an ongoing class in oil painting, watercolor or basic
drawing, or a one-time workshop in mixed media, accomplished teachers inspire,
educate and make it fun to come to class.
With new sessions just starting, I decided to question these
instructors on their methods and goals in order to gain some insight on what to
expect as a new student.
When I asked the LAC instructors for their thoughts on
teaching, there was a general consensus that not only should the students have
fun, but the whole experience of teaching art has been fun. “It is a tremendous amount of work…but also
fun. I admire all the instructors who
stick with it,” says Kathy Berls. For
Kathy Cranmer, “Painting should be fun and I always try to remember that in my
classes.” Heidi Snyder, who is teaching
an upcoming colored pencil workshop at the LAC Art Center with Dorothy DePaulo,
stresses how art is “not only fun, creative, and at its core intensely
personal, but a great healer and equalizer and a wonderful medium for telling
stories. It enables the artist to reach
audiences otherwise inaccessible and convey messages in a manner which defies
other means of communication.”
Having fun in class with a teacher who obviously enjoys his
or her work and like Dorothy DePaulo, who finds that ”by teaching what she
knows about the art making process and wants to pass that happiness on to
others”, would be good incentive to sign
up. But what about the student who is a
bit hesitant to register due to lack of confidence? “Just have fun with it,” says Loraine
Miller. “Remember we have all been
beginners at one time or another. Don’t
expect success the first time, keep practicing, practicing and more practicing…
and keep it simple.” Kathy Cranmer
stresses how important it is for beginner and intermediate watercolor painters
to learn good painting fundamentals, making it easier to achieve satisfying
results. Barb Tobiska also adds that
being placed in the correct level class for one’s ability is important. With so
many classes, levels and instructors to choose from, it should be easy to find
a class that fits each individual. “Try
a lot of classes and a lot of different teachers until something really clicks
for you,” says Kathy Berls.
When asked about teaching methods – traditional vs.
experimental, most instructors tended to stick with traditional, but with a few
novel techniques or materials incorporated occasionally. Barb Tobiska, having been a multi-media
artist, has been known to employ glazes, sand, cloth, spray paints and other
materials into her oil painting lessons.
The LAC’s instructors are always learning. Many have a college degree in Art Education
or have taught in schools. But all agree
that taking workshops themselves and like Loraine Miller, who finds the most
helpful source of information has been the “many, many books and other instructors she
has taken (classes) from.” This allows her to stretch a little and then teach
these new things to her students. Dorothy DePaulo also learns by doing. She approaches each painting as a puzzle that
needs to be solved. She learns from her
peers by looking at others’ art and seeking out how they have solved their art
puzzles. She also stresses that “the
most important thing in being a good artist is to be a part of a community of
artists. Often time, the classroom is
the first step in joining a community of artists.”
What have you learned from your students and what is the
most surprising thing you’ve found about teaching art classes, I asked. Loraine Miller has learned to “think about
the process of painting…how to put things into words that I sometimes think is
so automatic.” Most teachers agreed with
Heidi Snyders’ sentiment that “everyone can do art, and do it well. There is no pass, fail. And the beauty of that approach is that there
is no bad art: the technique might not be polished, the experience lacking, but
the art which equals the concept, the idea, the personal input, is always good,
because it always reflects the individual.”
Every student will come up with their own unique take on a subject and
are always willing to be open and learn.
Embrace this uniqueness, as does Dorothy DePaulo.
The knowledge, creativity and enthusiasm that these art
teachers convey are what makes the classes offered through the LAC so enjoyable
and educational.
If you haven’t taken
advantage of this opportunity, it’s time you did.
Check out the class schedule at
www.lakewoodartscouncil.org and
sign up soon, as spaces fill up quickly.
And thank you to those instructors named above for your inspiration and
teachings and for taking the time to share your thoughts for this article.
