How I Teach Art…Lesson 1

All artists are teachers… Some may actually be Art professors at prestigious academies or universities… some may have never actually «taught» anyone directly… But that is the key. Indirectly, a painting teaches, and we all learn from seeing the works of great masters hanging in museums all over the world. For centuries artists have been learning from each other. There is no such a specimen as an auto-didactic, because we all learn from someone or something… Ok, some may argue that people can be «self-taught» and I agree, but the knowledge comes from an establish source.

So, how do I teach art? I don’t teach anyone how to hold a pencil or a crayon or a brush. I have to suppose that if they want to be an artist they have already tried such instruments out. So, I begin by reminding them that art is Art, an academic subject, a professional pursuit and something that must be learned, albeit formally or informally. Then I insist on the fact that an artist is a researcher because Art is the search. If you have not begun to search, then you have not begun to create art. Art is not intuitive, it is contrived, directed and formed from a preconceived idea of the artist…

Now, reference «creativity» and «inspiration»… I don’t care for those words or for what they represent. All humans are creative beings and we are all inspired, at one time of our life or another. An artist works to «create» and does not need inspiration. What he/she needs is discipline and a plan. Therefore neither of these concepts has any direct bearing on becoming an artist.

What about «talent?» Are some people born talented and some not? Are actors, singers, dancers, musicians and artists genetically different? Well, they would have to be if they were born with any of those inherent talents. No. Talent is not a congenital disease. Talent is, and only is, the result of hard work. Haven’t you ever heard the old saying «practice makes perfect?»

So, lesson one is this. Go to the art store and before you buy your sketch pads, pencils, sharpeners, paint tubes, brushes (turpentine and oils if you are going to paint in oils), and canvases, buy yourself what will be the most important item in your studio, a moldeable artist rubber (eraser for Americans). Buy two or three and put them together into a little ball. This will help you to think, to eliminate stress and will inspire you to work as hard as you can so you can develop talent and folks can say how «creative’ you are…

(Stay tuned for Lesson Number 2 coming soon)

Cheers…