Everyone Should Experience Art Class
Art Elective Class
Although many of us were introduced to art in grade school, art class typically is an elective, meaning many students don’t get to take an art class due to impacted schedules or having to choose between other electives that were deemed a priority.
As a former art educator, I think everyone would benefit from being in an art class. Art has the ability to teach so much more than just the art-making skills. In an art class, you learn how to look at the world through a different lens, you learn to really see in a way that many do not take the time to do. You learn perseverance and grit as you overcome creative challenges. You learn how to communicate and express yourself visually, and how to generate ideas. These skills are not only valuable in a range of jobs but also for enhancing the way you interact with the world.
What do you actually learn in an art class?
Art teachers are expected to teach specific skills, however, there are so many ways these skills can be taught. There is so much to learn from the process of creating art so my teaching really focused on that. The end product is nice but if you only focus on the end product then you aren’t really learning anything. Developing your skills in the process will eventually get you to successful end products.
My art classes focused on reframing what we think of as creativity. What does the process of creating a work of art actually look like?
In addition, there is value in being able to talk, write, or read about art. So learning the specific vocabulary within the art world is important.
Then come the artistic skills and your ability to reflect and critique so that you can improve upon your skills.
When you see artwork on the internet, in social media, and in museums or galleries, you see a small percentage of work that is successful. What you don’t see is all the mistakes, learning opportunities, the many sketches, etc.
When you look at the specific artistic skills, many skills you will see in a traditional art class will include: figure drawing, perspective drawing, abstraction, composition, color theory, etc.
I also liked to provide exposure to a range of art-making mediums. You never know what medium you will fall in love with! Some mediums I like to teach include: graphite, charcoal, watercolor, acrylic, collage, printmaking, and clay.
What if you missed the chance to take an art class and wish you could go back in time and try it out when you were young? Can you still take a class as an adult?
I am finding that many people are revisiting the activities and joys they experienced as kids. Somewhere along adulthood, we stopped taking time to play and be creative. You can always come back to your creativity and dive in. There is no perfect time to learn to be creative but it can be a challenge to know where to get started. Here are some places you can look . . .
Skillshare - Skillshare is an online learning platform that can be really helpful if you are looking to learn a very specific skill.
Local community centers or community colleges - Sometimes local community spots host workshops or limited classes around a specific medium such as ceramics or drawing and painting.
Online class - There are many artists that run their own online classes.
Learn from an experienced art teacher!
I am currently working on taking my expertise of years as a middle school art teacher to develop my own online art class. This class is focused on building the foundations of creativity and art-making in a fun, approachable, and low-intimidation setting. I want everyone to have the chance to experience an art class. My class will be great for those who are creative curious and looking to dip their toes into art, or for beginning artists who are self-taught and want to build their confidence by filling in the gaps in their foundational skills.
What will my class look like?
My art school program will be a 10-month class that will include a monthly virtual lesson. You will receive a supply list and project details as well as a way to connect with a community of other creatively curious people. My monthly lessons will teach foundational skills, help you explore a range of mediums, and guide you in applying your skills to a class project.
If this is something you are interested in, make sure to sign up for my waitlist to be notified when the class is available.