Art and Online Learning

In trying times, I've found a new outlook & outlet

Eucalyptus, started in one of my online classes

Hey, I get it it, learning online has never appealed to me before but these are trying times. I need my social interactions plus I love learning opportunities. Yes, I have always resisted the online art classes and courses--until now. Currently I am taking 3 online courses and I have been pleasantly surprised by how great each class is going.

First and foremost I realized that a teacher is a teacher. What do I mean? I mean that a good 'in person' teacher is still a good teacher online--the love of teaching still comes through. If there is a national or local art teacher you have taken with before or wanted to take with, I recommend looking her up and taking a course online. Artists are, after all, "Gig Workers." Invest in your self if you can and pay it forward to the artist teacher, win/win.

I am taking an online self-paced class (lots of videos and note taking), but this artist has been teaching online for many years so there is lots of great material. I like it and there are over 60 modules so plenty of information. My next class is from a national artist whom I was supposed to go see for a workshop in May. The current class with her is 3 hours a week and starts with a demo that we watch online, then we turn our computers and she watches us paint! We email her our completed artworks after each class and it's working, I am enjoying it.

Lastly, I am supporting my local art teacher, whom I have always studied with in person. She is a good teacher, so it was easy for me to sign up with her. Once again we all log in online and chat and watch her teach, she sets up her ipad /computer so that we can see her images and drawings.

Ultimately the online classes are working. The biggest thing is that I am enjoying having a schedule. Because I will be on video, I have to comb my hair and dress and prep for class. Plus classes give me some normalcy in my day. Also the classes fill the day, meaning that I am not sitting at home thinking about painting, I am actually doing. I highly recommend that you look up an art teacher --local or national and see what classes they are offering, and then sign up. What a great way to support the arts and truly, I found that it works.

I still prefer to meet in person, but who knows when that will happen again? Right now I think we should take the online art opportunities, I encourage you to sign up for an online art class today!