One of the saddest stories I have ever heard was of a master mold maker in NYC refusing to share all that he had learned throughout his life as a sculpting artist with other artists and students. When he died all that knowledge he held died with him and it's gone forever.
There comes a time in almost every artist's life where it becomes necessary to pass on what we have learned to others. I have been holding this urge to teach at bay for some time now, but I could tell with all the articles I needed to write for Just About Horses, for all those years, that it was inevitable that I'd be teaching at some point.
In the last few weeks I have picked up art students and their desire and struggles to learn art has been most inspiring and has brought me back to basics. I'm finding it most necessary for artists of all levels to visit the basics now and again.
This small floral watercolor was quite fun for me to paint and offered my one student quite a challenge. It was interesting to watch her approach this still life and try and capture it. For me, the moment I picked the lilies I knew I'd document the process because I was very inspired. In the end though, I too felt the still life posed quite a challenge and although I am passing on what I have learned I was quickly reminded that I am still a student myself.
