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Classes          How I Teach

In the Fall of 2019, Margret is teaching two classes in drawing. These classes are taught under the auspices of:
LLAIC: "Lifelong Learners: An Independent Collaborative"

The classes are:

Beginning Drawing

In a world of technology and electronic media, visual art remains a unique and wonderful activity. If you’ve ever wondered if you can draw, or even if you have experimented with it over the years, Beginning Drawing might be the class for you. Learning to draw, and really to work in any visual art, begins with learning to see in a new and more focused way. Using our eyes, and with the aid of simple tools, our hands can learn, through a series of exercises, to express what we see. For me, drawing is joyful, and I hope students find the journey to discover their own creativity as rewarding as I have.

Date/Time: 10 Thursday mornings from 9:45 - 11:15 AM, starting September 12, 2019

Beyond Beginning Drawing

This class is open to students who have taken any Beginning Drawing course, and to anyone who has prior drawing experience and wants to continue. Students can work in graphite pencils, colored pencils, or pen and ink. There is no homework in the traditional sense, but rather practice assignments. It’s a little like learning to play the piano; you might not become a celebrated pianist, but you can learn to read music, understand rhythm and timing, understand the keyboard, and, with practice, play a pretty good version of a desired piece.

Date/Time: 10 Thursday mornings from 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM, starting September 12, 2019

LLAIC classes are held at:

        Temple Shir Tikva
        141 Boston Post Road (Route 20)
        Wayland, MA 01778


How I Teach

After years of teaching children’s drawing classes (Grades K-5) and a Summer Art Workshop (Grades 1-8) with potter Phyllis Biegun, I now concentrate on my adult studio art class, now being offered through Arts Wayland. There are usually four seasonal sessions. I also have occasional private adult and adolescent students and I have helped a couple of seniors in High School prepare their portfolios for application to Art School.

Before becoming an artist full time, I trained as both a Biologist and a Social Worker, beginning to paint when my younger daughter, Sara, was an infant. Most of my own art education was with the late world renowned artist George Dergalis, who was proficient in all media, and helped his students explore and experiment. In a similar way, when I began teaching about 15 years ago, I introduced my students to drawing and painting through studio classes. I work with each student individually as they discover media and subject matters that complement their talents and interests.

I believe that drawing is the foundation of the artistic process, and I usually encourage my beginning students to explore drawing. I feel this helps them become familiar with art terminology, learn design concepts, and explore mood through the use of lights and darks without the addition of color. However, I am not rigid, and if a student wants to work in color even from the beginning, I encourage them to do so. This is because being engaged in one's medium and subject matter is so very important for being contented and successful. Some of my students prefer to keep working in black and white, using graphite pencil or pen and ink as their medium. Others pursue watercolor, colored pencil, pastel, acrylic, or oil.

One of the more difficult decisions a student has is choosing a subject to draw or paint. Some prefer figure or portrait, while others like landscape, or still life. Some love flowers or animals. I usually suggest working from some sort of graphic. Some use a picture from a magazine or calendar, but I think using his or her own photographs probably helps create the most original and personalized painting.

During our classes, in addition to critique and instruction for each student, I might talk about various techniques, new products, gallery or museum exhibits nearby, upcoming competitions, and so forth. If I think a demonstration might be helpful, I set up a small area and show the interested students various techniques for obtaining a desired effect.

Everyone can learn to draw and paint. Most will never be a Rembrandt or a Picasso, but all can learn to express their interests, thoughts, and feelings on paper. Painting can be a tranquil and intimate experience or it can be powerful and exhausting. If you are interested in exploring your artistic side and live in Metro-West Boston, join us and create some beautiful art!

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