How I teach

Who is an artist? Anyone who loves art and makes art. No judgements!

As an art teacher I am often surprised at how critical some students can be about their work. When we think of art, we are often very focused on judging a final product. ‘Is it good enough?’ 

What matters to me is the process; how you like to work, what your learning style is, and what ‘being in the zone’ is like for you. I'm also curious about your ideas, creativity, and what you learn and discover along the way. What inspires you? Having said that, I also teach drawing skills and structured 'skills-building' sessions within the term, as the fundamentals are an important foundation to getting the results you want. It's all about your learning edge.

Whether you have just done your first drawing, or you’ve been making art for years - look after your creative self. Be selective about who you show your art to: are their comments encouraging or discouraging?

Art is not just the creative process, it’s about being connected with other students, art friends, teachers and mentors. I recommend that you be open-minded and keep learning; it’s a lifelong process. I really encourage some kind of regular practice. 

Joining a class or online group is very motivating if you have to show up and your classmates are expecting you that week. They want to see what you have been working on and share a coffee with you. I have attended art classes for decades and it is such an encouraging atmosphere; we all learn a lot from each other.

If you want to make art, it is really important that you find ways to nurture this process. I have seen art make a huge difference in people’s lives. Just get involved, and experience being a creative person, it’s a great life.