Some things you don't forget...Not a rant...just the way it is....
I'm a redhead. There's somethings that you just don't forget when you're a redhead. I try not to hold grudges or get upset but sometimes the temper just gets the best of you.
The handful of "comments" that have stuck with me throughout my 10 years of teaching. File under WHY?
I once had a person tell me that all of my work looked the same. I had gone to the store to teach a series of classes over the weekend. I greeted the owner with a smile after introducing myself. I set up my stuff and walked around the store waiting for the hour of the class to arrive. The store owner came over to me and said "I just thought you'd like to know something. You had a ton of sign ups. Then your samples arrived. Everything looked the same. People dropped out. I just thought you'd like to know that." I smiled and clenched my fingers. I looked at her and said "I've sent the same exact samples to other stores and have never had a problem. I've had full classes and great responses. I think if you can pick up a book or a journal, a canvas or whatever, look at an artists' work and know who made it, that's a good thing. It's called style. You wouldn't think of saying anything to a "big name" art instructor. Would you?" I taught my classes though I really wanted to grab my stuff and flee. I was angry. She didn't get it and her attitude probably reflected onto interested students. Yet, the store owner took several of the classes and everyone raved about them (including her) so I still shake my head and wonder.
Why do people say things once in a blue moon and WHY do I let them bother me?? I had something similiar happen at another store one time. The students loved the classes. The owner pulled me aside, berated me and told me that the students work was so much more colorful then my sample. WHY had I chosen to do a piece in all earthtones? What was I thinking? It was one of the weirdest conversations I've ever had. I just shook my head and thought to myself "She does not get it. Why am I bothering to explain it? Um, I wanted to work in Earthtones. O-Effing, k?"
Why do some people get it and some don't? I can tell usually who gets it right away. I can tell those that might need a reason as to why we're going to paint the pages "This way" or why we're going to try collageing "This way". I try to work with people. I still am shaking my head all these years later at comments such as these: One of my regular students asked a new student "Hey, I loved Kelly's class the other day. What did you think?" New student said "Had I known we were going to be desecrating a book, I never would have taken the class." (The woman had left early saying she had an emergency. The description stated ALTERED BOOK class. Um, I tried to explain to her if she knew the amount of books that were thrown away on a daily basis, that we're not desecrating first editions or Holy books here but we're saving books from landfills...)
Another favorite comment (this one gets to me. I tried to find out WHO had said it so I could "Fix" the situation and explain but the store owner wouldn't tell me. It was very frustrating!!) to the store owner, "I would never take another class with her. She worked in her book." Um, no, I did not work in my book the whole time. The only time I 'worked in my book' was when I needed to DEMO something. HELLO? How else am I supposed to show you what to do? I ALWAYS work along with the students to A. show them what to do. B.Give them new ideas C. DEMO DEMO DEMO. DUH. It's not like I was doing personal work in class. I was teaching!
Or another favorite a woman who said while I was demoing different uses for stencils said "I know how to use a stencil." Yeah. So do I. So does everyone around you...but, hey, be open to maybe a couple of new ways to use stencils, k, 'cause there's more then one way to use it. A few years later there's whole articles and blogs being written on how to use stencils in mixed media art. I wonder what the woman is saying now...
But then, the "unspoken" comments-the ones that I cherish- that I get in the form of students who show up for classes-the same students-time and time and time again. These are the ones that get it. These are the ones that are eager for new techniques, new approaches and new ideas.
You see folks, when you take a class, not only should you hope to learn from the teacher but you should learn from those around you and you should learn from your own experience as you work and think things out. You should want to go home and keep working, keep creating. You should be inspired. That's the sign of a good class.
*****
Huge kudos and thanks to the gang from Stampin' From The Heart in L.A. today. All six ladies got it. Damn, the art work cool and the atmosphere was wonderful. Thanks for a great day of teaching and thanks for sharing your talents with me. One of my favorite things about teaching all these years later still is throwing out a technique and we all use the same "stuff" and yet every single person's artwork comes out differently. Thanks ladies for a wonderful way to spend the day-sharing my ideas and seeing things come full circle.
I'm a redhead. There's somethings that you just don't forget when you're a redhead. I try not to hold grudges or get upset but sometimes the temper just gets the best of you. The handful of "comments" that have stuck with me throughout my 10 years of teaching. File under WHY?
I once had a person tell me that all of my work looked the same. I had gone to the store to teach a series of classes over the weekend. I greeted the owner with a smile after introducing myself. I set up my stuff and walked around the store waiting for the hour of the class to arrive. The store owner came over to me and said "I just thought you'd like to know something. You had a ton of sign ups. Then your samples arrived. Everything looked the same. People dropped out. I just thought you'd like to know that." I smiled and clenched my fingers. I looked at her and said "I've sent the same exact samples to other stores and have never had a problem. I've had full classes and great responses. I think if you can pick up a book or a journal, a canvas or whatever, look at an artists' work and know who made it, that's a good thing. It's called style. You wouldn't think of saying anything to a "big name" art instructor. Would you?" I taught my classes though I really wanted to grab my stuff and flee. I was angry. She didn't get it and her attitude probably reflected onto interested students. Yet, the store owner took several of the classes and everyone raved about them (including her) so I still shake my head and wonder.
Why do people say things once in a blue moon and WHY do I let them bother me?? I had something similiar happen at another store one time. The students loved the classes. The owner pulled me aside, berated me and told me that the students work was so much more colorful then my sample. WHY had I chosen to do a piece in all earthtones? What was I thinking? It was one of the weirdest conversations I've ever had. I just shook my head and thought to myself "She does not get it. Why am I bothering to explain it? Um, I wanted to work in Earthtones. O-Effing, k?"
Why do some people get it and some don't? I can tell usually who gets it right away. I can tell those that might need a reason as to why we're going to paint the pages "This way" or why we're going to try collageing "This way". I try to work with people. I still am shaking my head all these years later at comments such as these: One of my regular students asked a new student "Hey, I loved Kelly's class the other day. What did you think?" New student said "Had I known we were going to be desecrating a book, I never would have taken the class." (The woman had left early saying she had an emergency. The description stated ALTERED BOOK class. Um, I tried to explain to her if she knew the amount of books that were thrown away on a daily basis, that we're not desecrating first editions or Holy books here but we're saving books from landfills...)
Another favorite comment (this one gets to me. I tried to find out WHO had said it so I could "Fix" the situation and explain but the store owner wouldn't tell me. It was very frustrating!!) to the store owner, "I would never take another class with her. She worked in her book." Um, no, I did not work in my book the whole time. The only time I 'worked in my book' was when I needed to DEMO something. HELLO? How else am I supposed to show you what to do? I ALWAYS work along with the students to A. show them what to do. B.Give them new ideas C. DEMO DEMO DEMO. DUH. It's not like I was doing personal work in class. I was teaching!
Or another favorite a woman who said while I was demoing different uses for stencils said "I know how to use a stencil." Yeah. So do I. So does everyone around you...but, hey, be open to maybe a couple of new ways to use stencils, k, 'cause there's more then one way to use it. A few years later there's whole articles and blogs being written on how to use stencils in mixed media art. I wonder what the woman is saying now...
But then, the "unspoken" comments-the ones that I cherish- that I get in the form of students who show up for classes-the same students-time and time and time again. These are the ones that get it. These are the ones that are eager for new techniques, new approaches and new ideas.
You see folks, when you take a class, not only should you hope to learn from the teacher but you should learn from those around you and you should learn from your own experience as you work and think things out. You should want to go home and keep working, keep creating. You should be inspired. That's the sign of a good class.
*****
Huge kudos and thanks to the gang from Stampin' From The Heart in L.A. today. All six ladies got it. Damn, the art work cool and the atmosphere was wonderful. Thanks for a great day of teaching and thanks for sharing your talents with me. One of my favorite things about teaching all these years later still is throwing out a technique and we all use the same "stuff" and yet every single person's artwork comes out differently. Thanks ladies for a wonderful way to spend the day-sharing my ideas and seeing things come full circle.
Comments
What is the point of taking a class when you arrive with your mind zipped up?
And I just have to say..some days we are earthtones, some days we are psycheldelic baby! LOL!
I love my new journal and can't believe I only have one half page that was left blank. Damn, I'm getting good!
Thanks again and you're the best!
Linda
Love it!
At least you have a sense of humour. You have to - otherwise you'd probably lose your mind!
Hey.. I had heart palpitations when you broke the crayons in front of me.
I thought that was sacrilegous.
I cherish my intact crayons
thankyouverymuch :)
I am SO sorry that people have said those things. They really DON'T get it so who needs 'em? I know I, and many friends here in MA, get it and love when you come out this way. We anxiously await your arrival and talk about what we have learned in your classes as we apply those techniques to whatever we are working on at the time. What you teach goes beyond the books and journals we work on in class-they are lessons that can be used, reworked and broadened. I have all my handouts from your classes and refer back to them for ideas when I get stuck or just need a little redirection out of my rut. After taking your classes we always have a get together to keep working on our "Kelly books" because we are so full of inspiration we don't want to stop painting, gluing and writing. I could go on and on about the value of what you do but I am getting long winded as it is. Just let me say THANK YOU for helping me be able to say "I AM AN ARTIST".
Oh, and I think the "stencil lady" was sitting next to me!
See you in August-Love, Sharyn
I am a redhead too!
I love your work and wish, wish, wish that I could take one of your classes. I am afraid I wouldn't be the silent one that keeps returning but the one boldly cheering as I sign up for another class.
BTW, I loved my swap package ... wow!
So thank YOU guys very very much..now go make some art ;)
It reminded me of when I would show someone a piece of art I created and they would say..."so, WHAT do you DO with it?"....arghhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!
When I choose which classes to take, it is based on the technique used for the sample and any experience I have with the instructor. There are instructors I avoid, no matter how popular, because I had a weird experience with them (like the kind who tell you how to do it JUST LIKE THEY DID) or because their style is so distant from my own that I can't take anything away. However, those are very few people. There is so much to learn if you are open and willing to put your own spin on things. I'm sad not everyone gives themself that opportunity.
Oh, and...I adore the Winter Solstice page. Gorgeous.
I know it is really hard to hear those types of stupid remarks and unfortunately, it happens to all of us. We have to take the good with the bad and the people who do get it really get it and love it (and you) and that is what you must cling to.
xoxo
Linda