student work from Exploring Color Pencils

a 5 week class- Exploring Colored Pencils:
learning Tips and Techniques - making charts to see how the pencils look before and after, how different colors react to the technique and mixing colors.
everyone did a truly wonderful job!

4 week Portraits class- AWESOME work!

gave a 4 week Portraits class at The Art Department in Salem Oregon.
The students ranged in age from 13 to, well, older.
The skill levels varied, as is always the case. I always tell my students that, when they enter a class, they are entering at whatever level they stopped drawing. So, if you stopped drawing in the 4th grade because someone told you you couldn't draw, and you believed them!, then you are now starting at the level of the 4th grade you.
I also tell my students that everyone brings to the paper their own personality, experiences etc. So no one draws like anyone else. This is actually one of my favorite parts of instructing- seeing the different styles. Ten people can draw the exact same thing but there will be ten different versions.
I just LOVE that!

 So may I present to you- multiple examples of the wonderful art that was produced in this class:

Let's Talk About Bullying

Let's talk about bullying.

I have friends and family who are, have been or their children are being bullied.
As a child I was relentlessly bullied at school.

The method of dealing with it back then was:
Take it.
You tell a teacher or principal and they tell you to stop being a baby.
The bullies find out you tattled and it only gets worse.
You tell a parent and they are/seem to be too busy.

I was called stupid, ugly, clumsy, fat, etc.
I believed every word of it.
I cried.
I hated school.
I had little to no friends, depending on which place we were living at the time.
We moved a LOT.
I attended 8 schools in 12 years.
Always the new kid it seemed.
Always hoping for a new start and more acceptance.
The only good thing that came out of it was that I drew.
I drew a LOT.
TV, books, Art. Those were my escape.

I have decided that once I get a little time, I am going to address my previous and the current rage of bullying in an art piece. So that's coming up. Let's just say it's To Be Announced.

While there are multiple TV shows, music videos etc. dealing with and condemning bullying, it most assuredly has not gone away.
But here are just a few of the ones I like.

All About That Bass -Meghan Trainor
I see the magazines,
working that Photoshop
we know that sh*t ain't real
come on now make it stop.
If you got beauty, beauty
just raise 'em up
'cause every inch of you is perfect
from the bottom to the top

Secrets - Mary Lambert
They tell us from the time we're young
to hide the things that we don't like about ourselves
inside ourselves.
I know I'm not the only one
who spent so long attempting to be someone else,
well I'm over it.

Firework- Katy Perry
You don't have to feel
like you're a waste of space,
You're original
cannot be replaced.

Beautiful- Christina Aguilerra
I am beautiful
no matter what they say
words can't bring me down.

Perfect- Pink
Pretty, pretty please
don't you ever feel
like you're less than perfect.

You're so mean
when you talk to yourself
you were wrong
change the voices in your head.

Try- Colbie Caillat
You don't have to try so hard,
.....
You don't have to change a single thing.
This is what you want? to belong.
So they like you?
Do YOU like you?

and many more

Just the Way You Are- Bruno Mars
Roar- Katy Perry
Shake It Off- Taylor Swift

let's stop the bullying and start liking ourselves for who we are at this very moment.
let's stop the bullying and start accepting each other for who we are right now.

striking portraits by Mark Powell

These incredible portraits were drawn by artist Mark Powell on authentic vintage envelopes.