Kinda nervous
Did I mention that I got a new job? Well, kind of a job. More like a "take my favorite leisure activity and get paid a little bit for it" kind of job.
Starting next Tuesday, I will be teaching painting classes at a local studio. The kind where you walk in at 7 and walk out with a painting by 10. The kind where you laugh and down a glass or two of wine with your friends while you paint. That place has been my stress relief for the past 3 years and now I get to move to the front of the class and teach others how to paint.
I got the job in September, but my first class isn't until next Tuesday. The October calendar was already set, so I had to create original paintings for the November calendar. I have 2 (and a half) for November and 2 for December done and turned in. It's been weird to work in advance for seasonal paintings and very weird to have to be so carefully creative. I set up the breakfast nook turn craft room as a studio and I sit down to my easel with a canvas, a designated set of brushes and colors, and a pencil and notebook. The idea in my head has to be reproducible by novice artists who may or may not have had too much to drink. So I mix and paint and write down everything so I can repaint and reteach the same thing in 2 months. I did add a new element as well in that I pitched myself as a mixed media artist, so I get to add fun touches like scrapbook paper and glitter. There are a couple of other places that have opened in the area recently that do the same kind of classes, so branching out is a good thing for the studio.
So Tuesday is my first time to teach. One (and a half) of my own painting. I created a painting of a turkey with a scrapbook tail. The 1/2 comes in because my kid asked how to draw a turkey and I said I would start with a bowling pin and a bowling ball. DH said I should make a bowling version, so it morphed from there. The paintings use most of the same elements, so I can teach them at the same time if anyone wants to do the bowling version (which probably won't happen, but it's cute anyway). I'm kinda nervous. It's slightly complicated as in lots of steps and keeping people on the same step can be frustrating. I've been a technical writer so I know how to break down complicated tasks into easy steps. I've been a high school teacher so I know how to stand in front of a class and engage rowdy students. I've taken more painting classes at this studio than probably anyone else. I know I can do it, but it's still nerve-wracking to anticipate the actual teaching. And prep work and signing in and taking payment and running the class and cleaning up and closing out. Not to mention encouraging and cajoling and supporting all the painters. And what if no one signs up to take the class? Anyone want to come to Charlotte next week and help me out? ;-)
Starting next Tuesday, I will be teaching painting classes at a local studio. The kind where you walk in at 7 and walk out with a painting by 10. The kind where you laugh and down a glass or two of wine with your friends while you paint. That place has been my stress relief for the past 3 years and now I get to move to the front of the class and teach others how to paint.
I got the job in September, but my first class isn't until next Tuesday. The October calendar was already set, so I had to create original paintings for the November calendar. I have 2 (and a half) for November and 2 for December done and turned in. It's been weird to work in advance for seasonal paintings and very weird to have to be so carefully creative. I set up the breakfast nook turn craft room as a studio and I sit down to my easel with a canvas, a designated set of brushes and colors, and a pencil and notebook. The idea in my head has to be reproducible by novice artists who may or may not have had too much to drink. So I mix and paint and write down everything so I can repaint and reteach the same thing in 2 months. I did add a new element as well in that I pitched myself as a mixed media artist, so I get to add fun touches like scrapbook paper and glitter. There are a couple of other places that have opened in the area recently that do the same kind of classes, so branching out is a good thing for the studio.
So Tuesday is my first time to teach. One (and a half) of my own painting. I created a painting of a turkey with a scrapbook tail. The 1/2 comes in because my kid asked how to draw a turkey and I said I would start with a bowling pin and a bowling ball. DH said I should make a bowling version, so it morphed from there. The paintings use most of the same elements, so I can teach them at the same time if anyone wants to do the bowling version (which probably won't happen, but it's cute anyway). I'm kinda nervous. It's slightly complicated as in lots of steps and keeping people on the same step can be frustrating. I've been a technical writer so I know how to break down complicated tasks into easy steps. I've been a high school teacher so I know how to stand in front of a class and engage rowdy students. I've taken more painting classes at this studio than probably anyone else. I know I can do it, but it's still nerve-wracking to anticipate the actual teaching. And prep work and signing in and taking payment and running the class and cleaning up and closing out. Not to mention encouraging and cajoling and supporting all the painters. And what if no one signs up to take the class? Anyone want to come to Charlotte next week and help me out? ;-)