Coming Spring 2024
*Classes are for Adults over the age of 18. I do not teach children's classes.*
About how I teach and coach in classes:
I first began teaching people how to paint or to improve their existing painting skills back in 2000. The experience I have gained as an instructor, coach, painter, and lessons learned from my students over the years have led me to my methods of imparting knowledge. Madness and method may appear interchangeable at times in the process but humor helps tie it all together.
Classes with me are focused on each student learning at their own pace and comfort level, within the group in class. We are all individuals and learn in different ways and at different paces and the only pressure you will feel is from yourself in response to what want to achieve. You may comfortably process at your own pace as you will hear advice and direction repeated in what you hear from me to you one on one, also from me to your peers in the classes and from your peers to you as you all support, help and teach each other as part of the shared experience of becoming or improving as a Painter. Competitiveness is replaced by camaraderie and encouragement.
Classes are not structured in the academic sense, there are no set goals and lessons or false promises or statements of what you will know or master by the end of any given number of classes – painting and learning to paint does not work that way, if you take to it, it is a journey that will keep you interested and enriched for the rest of your life (you have been warned).
In essence, if there are ten students in a class, I am teaching ten individual classes.
I will not be teaching you to paint like me ( though I appreciate your appreciation of my work) – Rather, even though I will be sharing my knowledge, techniques and methods and so on, I will be endeavoring to guide you to discover and develop your skill and knowledge so that you may learn to paint like you and to develop your own style.
Beginners or experienced, all levels and goals are welcome.
Whether you want to just paint for fun or to improve your skills and sales of your paintings, if you have never painted before or are a seasoned painter that sees some value in what I offer, you are welcome to sign up.
The most important lesson is offered for free – and here it is:
Paint because it brings you happiness, relief, respite, you time or any reason you must - find your own personal value in it.
Here are some testimonials from past Students:
"The classes were fun, relaxed and full of information, instruction and support. I’ve taken lots of classes over the years but yours top the list of favorites. " - Phyllis B.
https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/phyllis-bevington
"I can never thank you enough for the years of art mentoring with "the group" in CT. If not for your patient, no-pressure instruction I would never have had the courage to "jump in" and learn to paint again. You shared your knowledge, skill, and talent with us while allowing and encouraging each to paint in/develop our own individual and distinctive styles." - Jill M.
http://jillbeechermatthew.com/
"I am in the process of building a 12' x16' carfree building Art Studio. It will have heat, air and lights - no more painting on my marble countertops! I can never thank you enough for taking me under your wings." - Brenda N.
https://www.brendanewbegin.com
"You are a talented and patient instructor. You got me started, and I thank-you." - Carol R.
" From day one, we painted; not watched you demonstrate the entire class. You made your classes be individual lessons. You teach by instructing each person , using their strengths and their existing painting. Your technique of asking the student to tell you about their painting worked. Your instruction was based on where we , individually, were struggling. In a gentle, and encouraging manner, you would point out what changes needed to be made. Everyone nearby benefitted as we were encouraged to listen into the instruction. It always amazed me how you could do this when each student had a different vision of the same scene - some very realistic, others impressionistic, and still others more abstract : some using just brushes while others used palette knives and others a mixture of brush and knife." - Maureen T.
