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Make your mark in
  life doing art!

Class Information

About Arty Dragonfly lessons:

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I believe drawing to be a very teachable subject that will amaze the most resistant or skeptical student. It is a matter of teaching art in a way that is inclusive of all expression, in a safe, non-competitive environment. Art is meant to bring delight, freedom of expression, and doing art is a way to communicate what is inside us, about the world about us. Art is mysteriously playful and yet very serious business. Serious, because it touches emotions within that lie hidden. Serious, because doing art enables us to see our potential to do many other things we never thought possible. Serious, because the problem-solving aspects of drawing painting helps develop the mind to receive, understand, and develop all other academic subjects of language, writing, math, even social studies. 

 

I speak a lot about joy at Arty Dragonfly. There is an ancient scripture that says, “Men are that they might have joy.” I believe that. Why else are there infinite arrangements of colors, textures, plant life, creatures, and structures, both God-created and man-made, in the immeasurable universe for us to observe? Are they not amazing to behold? And once beheld, isn’t there the desire to put it all down on paper so others may see what we have seen?  Some things in the world are fleeting. Drawing and painting preserves them long after they are gone. Like the written word, doing art records and preserves the things that touch the soul in a life/soul transforming way. Viewing a picture that is worth a thousand words can be compelling, but drawing or painting a picture worth a thousand words, no matter how simple it may be, changes the artist for the better forever.

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Drawing comes naturally and early to every child, as does movement, music, and laughter. These are all part of toddlers’ abilities to communicate, to express themselves, even to worship. About the age of eight or nine a child wants to replicate what he or she sees in a more representational way. To some it seems to come easy. I say it seems so, but what the child has is a tenacity to experiment with art and work it diligently, persistently, to solve the problems he sees come out of his pencil or brush. To others, putting on paper what they see becomes is a difficult challenge. The joy of drawing, just for the fun of it, begins to fade and no instruction or encouragement can bridge that image of their ability adequately. Soon the child moves on to other areas where he or she excels or has more interest, and he no longer tries to do art. Then, too, oftentimes a child’s work is compared or judged in a 

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** This is a supply list for only the drawing clases.  All painting parties include supplies. 

 

General Supply list for drawing classes.

          *Portfolio – Minimum size20” x 26” x 2”

            *9” x 12” Acid free sketch pad

            *Pencils – 4H, 2B, 4B, 6B

            *Kneadable Eraser

            *Stumps – assortment pack

            *Set of 40 Crayola Brand Markers, Permanent if possible

            # Pan watercolors

            # #6 or #8 Watercolor brush

            # Set of 24 soft pastels

            # Canson pastel paper 18” x 24”

 

*Needed for the first lessons

#Needed for later lessons

negative way by other children and adults, and thus, the joy of drawing and painting is stolen from the child.

 

There is no right or wrong way of doing art. Each student is unique in their self-expression in drawing and painting. Truly, I have seen artists who can capture a likeness with precision, yet are unable to capture the viewer’s imagination or emotions in compelling ways. As I said in one of my videos, art is all about communication and relationships. Our best moments doing art help us laugh at ourselves, enjoy life on this planet, touch another soul deeply, and motivate us to be more, and do more with our lives, to do the right thing.

         

My aim as an art instructor is to develop a lifelong love of doing art in my students. For my young students, I help them see more and draw more of what they observe around them, while hanging on to their symbolic art style. For my adult students, I want to reclaim the joy of symbolic drawing and painting, and help them discover abilities in representational art they never thought possible.

 

All my art classes and experiences can be done at a location of your choice for youth activities, girl’s night out, corporate orientation events, church retreats, or special family projects. I charge per mileage, number of participants, my prep time, set up and clean up. $20 flat fee minimum added to the class charge. I would need adequate lighting, space, tables, and chairs for all the participants.

Contact me at mur620@gmail.com
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