TEACHING AND PAINTING

The Masterworks Class I taught for New Mexico Watercolor Society a couple of weeks ago was outstanding. The workshop chairmen, Kathy Arneberg and Fran Krukar were excellent planners, arrangers and helpers. Dave Collis ran the camera set-up which projected what was happening on my work surface onto a screen so the students could see easily. He faithfully sat through the classes and operated the camera. Hooray Dave! what a gift! The class was full and also full of talented students and full of generous students and full of enthusiastic students and full of diligent students. I even saw some of them staying through the lunch break eating sandwiches and painting at the same time. I know it’s an old saw, but the teacher learned as much as the students. I gave and they gave.

“The fragrance always stays in the hand that gives the rose.” (Heda Bejar)     The fragrance that remains with me following that class is impacting/informing my new work. I’m thankful for students.

I love to have pictures from the classes I teach but in the excitement of teaching and watching over the class I often forget to use my camera. I finally remembered to take a few pictures during this  class.

Posted here are a few works-in-progress from the class:

I’m reminded of Madeleine L’Engle’s statement, “Inspiration far more often comes during the work than before it.” The students were definitely rising to inspired heights as they experimented, coped, played, tried, delved and generally grappled with their works. I encouraged them to “have the maximum lack of control,” as Robert Rauschenberg puts it and trust their creative spirits to guide them. It was a delight!