The new adventures

From Artist to Teacher

Now to start from the beginning of this long road from the kitchen to a large Painting Convention.


After teaching in a small local shop I found my self in a few local retreats teaching. For me it was a long stretch from my friends in a small town to much larger number of ladies in a state park lodge. Oh well, who could cry at having to stay 3 or 4 days in a beautiful state park.





The building at the left was Turkey Run St. Park and I began to look forward to teaching there. It became a fun time of sharing with others and staying in the wild area of Central Indiana. It challenged my painting in a huge way. To paint local birds and flowers was such a thrill. With this new adventure came the great privalage of a great new friend. A sweet little lady, Nora McKinney became more than a friend. Through her I learned about nature. She was a walking book of knowledge. She could name all the stars as we sat in a campground. Then there was her knowledge of wildflowers.

So where can a little house wife from a small town who picks up a paint brush go with this new love. She begins this road to new friends, new confidence in her skills as painter and teacher and new places to go. I was quite content to go no farther.

There were several teaching skills I seem to pick up from the beginning. Nora became my traveling assistant and my confidence builder.



1. I wanted them to have, "that can do feeling". After 15 yr. of teaching I have had only one person I truly could not teach to do a picture. The reason I think that happen was because she truly believe I couldn't teach her anything. She said it over and over in class. Well, guess what, I couldn't.
   
   


2. I searched for every tool I could find to put them at ease and show them they were going to be successful. Actually laughter would be my greatest tool. At times that was were Nora came in, doing simple funny things.



3. I would spend great deal of time preparing enlarged drawings and samples to aid in class.




4. Then there was the instruction packet I would prepare for class. These would contain detail instruction and most would have several picture to help clarify what I was trying to convey
   
   A very surprising thing happen over time. I found that this was a very fulfilling feeling to see someone who was uncertain at their ability to paint anything let alone the piece we were working on, to walk out with a piece they were happy with.
   
   

These people were so grateful and thought I was much more talented than I was. To meet people that werre more than willing to take on a new challenge was the real talent.

After some time I realized I might be rather good at this. At least I had people asking me back again and again.

So, here I was in my happy little world of teaching at home and local retreats.


Free Gift
For fun, If you would like to try your hand a one of my fun flower painting I will send on for free. Just e-mail me and I will attach the pansies and Butterfly Painting on the left.

1947kjones@sbcglobal.net

www.creationsbykat.com

http://1947kjones.googlepages.com/home