Outside the Lines, An Art Experience Waiting For You

Art instructors are often asked, “Do I have to be an artist to take art?” The answer is of course, “no”. There is a form of art in all of us. Sometimes it is just “untapped” and dormant somewhere within us. I know of several business people right here in Marianna who have painted Churches, flowers, town architecture, people, local wildlife but were not artists by trade. Their first professions are realtors, pilot, college student, adult ed-teacher, etc. They are all from different tracks in life and all of their art is quite different.

“Outside the Lines” art studio came about in order to bring art into the community so that it could be experienced by those of all ages. My students range in age from 1 to 90 years of age. The main idea is to express yourself. Find what you like and try it.

This year, working through a “Very Special Arts” grant through the National Endowment for the Arts I was able to teach children at Golson Elementary that math is a by-product of art and vice-versa, using clay and paint projects. The students at Bonifay Middle School used the theme “The Super Hero in Me” to work with sculpting clay, ceramic tile and wood.

The students had very little art experience and were resistant at first, but they quickly exploded into the creative mode and had created wonderful art pieces by the end of the exercise.

Children tend to be more likely to let go and explore. Adults are sometimes more nervous but you can paint a flower in 2 hours or 2 weeks. It is ultimately what you want to get out of it.

One of my young adult students has found that the study of color through abstraction, as in some Picassos, is what works for her. We work from realistic to fantasy through paint, clay and collage. It is all about finding and keeping the creative side in you alive, and have others to share it with.

It is always exciting to see the different mediums used and the results that come forth, whether it is a painted apron with sunflowers, a collage of beads on an acrylic vase, a wire mobile depicting sea life, or crayon picture of mommy and me.

I have been an artist since I was very young, pouring clay molds in Braddock, Pennsylvania, at the age of 9 years old. I can’t imagine my life without art, and hopefully some day you might feel the same way. You are invited to stop by the studio and see what art medium option seems to interest you.