No, I can’t teach French

My all-time favorite photo of a student was taken on  Howe Point during a workshop in Belfast a few years ago.

My all-time favorite photo of a student was taken at Howe Point Beach in Lincolnville, during a workshop.

My NYU professor pal and I had a cheerful row about a non-French-speaker who is teaching French at Houston Independent School District’s Energy Institute High School. She says that a good teacher should be able to teach anything. I don’t believe it. Looking convincing is not the same as conveying knowledge.  Art, music and language classes are often subbed (out of necessity) by non-specialists, and it’s a disservice to students and teachers alike.

I never set out to teach painting; rather, it sought me out. A friend repeatedly asked me to give classes. I was so unsure of myself that I kept turning her down. When she found another friend to join her, I agreed to try it. I’d taken enough classes and workshops myself to have an idea of how it was done. I knew absolutely nothing about teaching and was terribly nervous, but somehow it worked.

There are times it gets a little odd, such as when Gwendolyn (may she rest in peace) ended up teaching a class-within-a-class.

There are times when it gets a little odd, such as when Gwendolyn (may she rest in peace) ended up teaching a class-within-a-class.

We met in my tiny studio on the third floor of my house. The ceiling was so low that I hit my head on it going from painter to painter. If we needed a model, I would jump in and out of a pose while we worked.

My class quickly outgrew the space. We moved downstairs to a large bedroom on the landing. At times, I taught three classes a week there, limited by space to six people at a time. I was able to hire models.

Matthew loved mixing paint as much as I do. He needed bigger and bigger palettes for his experiments.

Matthew loved mixing paint as much as I do. He needed bigger and bigger palettes for his experiments.

Last week a fellow painter asked me how to organize classes through her own studio. I believe she has the two gifts needed to be successful at teaching: she’s a very good painter and she likes sharing knowledge. She’ll figure out the teaching as she goes. And why wouldn’t I help her? In the long run, more teachers mean more and better painters, more enthusiastic buyers of art, and more of an art scene.

A class in my second studio. My Mary would often read to this group while they painted.

A class in my second studio. My Mary would often read to this group while they painted.

This morning I finish up my very first session of studio classes in Rockport. I’m breathing a big sigh of relief, because this class has been successful and I already have students signed up for the next one, which starts on May 17.

Would you like to join us? We meet from 10 AM to 1 PM (bring your lunch or a snack). Pastel, acrylic watercolor and oil painters are all welcome. I believe in nurturing the development of your style, not imposing mine, so I focus on broadening skills in drawing, brushwork and color. Class size is limited so contact me soon, by email here or by text or phone at 585-201-1558.

Carol Douglas

About Carol Douglas

Carol L. Douglas is a painter who lives, works and teaches in Rockport, ME. Her annual workshop will again be held on the Schoodic Peninsula in beautiful Acadia National Park, from August 6-11, 2017. Visit www.watch-me-paint.com/ for more information.