What makes a class SPECIAL?

Last night, I went to sleep completely exhausted yet fully restored! 

I had just spent the day with twelve other aspiring artists and one very inspirational teacher, Roxanne Evans Stout.

My one completed page for the day!

 

 



Here is Roxanne on the right and Cleo on the left with students busily working in the background.
Roxanne is a very generous teacher and this is one of the beautiful pieces of her art that she shared with the group for ideas and inspiration.

For some annoying and frustrating reason the photo wants to load sideways but the quality of her work shines through.

This morning I'm thinking about what goes into making a class memorable.  Certainly, the subject matter but, more so, who is teaching the subject.  Roxanne is such a good teacher.  Very down to earth, sharing, caring and encouraging and in an art class attended, primarily, by middle aged women I think "encouragement" in BIG doses is what is called for the most.   When you add friends, food, a lovely work space, a love of nature, lots of great materials to work with....you have not only taught someone something new but added to their bank of great memories.

Roxanne started the class with a warm up exercise!  Each student was encourage to select ten objects from a pile of natural materials, which included leaves, flowers, sticks, moss, pine cones, paper and more, and use those pieces to create "table top" art in pleasing arrangement.  Here are a few examples of what the class created, remember there were nine other creations I did not get photographed.

At the end of the class each student displayed her completed art work, and works in progress, on a table for all to admire.

The work, the artists/students and the teacher.....what an awesome day!  But wait, there was more....

after class, those who were able to, went out to dinner together...friendships formed and bonds built.

So, to Roxanne and all of my fellow classmates.....THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES!  You are an awesome group!