I am on a “Covid hiatus” right now, but I hope to start classes again before too long. I miss my students and the creative energy that abounds when we're together in the Blue Church Art classroom. They create wonderful artworks, and we have lots of fun in the process.
I’ve taught hundreds of students over my 17+ years of teaching, watching many of them grow up. It is a pleasure to see how their artwork matures as the years go by. When a student who has been coming to class for many years graduates from high school, I am happy for them, for passing this important milestone. But graduation means they won’t come to my classes again. I miss them when they’re gone.
I’ve taught hundreds of students over my 17+ years of teaching, watching many of them grow up. It is a pleasure to see how their artwork matures as the years go by. When a student who has been coming to class for many years graduates from high school, I am happy for them, for passing this important milestone. But graduation means they won’t come to my classes again. I miss them when they’re gone.
It’s a delight to hear from a former student (or a parent) who writes to tell me about an artistic achievement. One of my favorite students, Kyle, is an example. He started coming to my classes in 2009 when he was in 2nd grade. Kyle was a great student. I delighted in the artworks he created. One early class project was to draw and paint a cake. Kyle asked if he could draw a wedding cake for his parents’ anniversary gift. What a great idea! He drew the cake, with his parents in the foreground. I found a pre-cut mat to frame his masterpiece. Lucky parents, to receive such a precious gift (and to have a son like Kyle!)
click on any photo to enlarge it
colored pencil toucan by Kyle
 the family cat, Bailey (2020) | Kyle came for classes all through elementary and middle school, but after 7 years with me, he had to give up Blue Church Art when he entered high school. He had too many other activities! I was pleased that he enrolled in art classes at school. He wrote to me and sent photos of the projects he was working on. |
| Kyle drew and painted all kinds of things, but he especially liked drawing animals. During his senior year in high school he sent photos of his drawings of western landscapes and wildlife, rendered in colored pencil. The drawings were inspired by a 2019 family trip to Alaska, to visit an aunt. I love these drawings. |  |
mountain goat
 Moose in winter |  Porcupine Caribou |
Caribou in autumn
Dall sheep
Wolf pack by river
Grizzly Bear family in Spring
 SLHS graduation, 2020 | Before he graduated from high school, Kyle and his dad dropped in at the Blue Church one afternoon to visit. Kyle was now taller than his father! He still had the sweet, kindly expression on his face that I remembered. Kyle is a very nice person, and his sensitivity can be seen in his lovely artworks. |
Now Kyle is enrolled in the Department of Landscape Architecture at Penn State’s main campus in State College. I am thrilled that he continues to send me photos of his work! It’s so interesting to see what he’s doing, and the intricate designs he creates for his projects are impressive. Kyle uses Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator applications to draw wildlife for these projects- new artistic skills.
In October, during his first semester in the program, he sent me images of a design for a saltwater marsh walk. He illustrated the concept with beautiful digital drawings of the marsh and of the creatures who would inhabit it. Beautiful.
For another project, Kyle digitally illustrated the plan for a city “meadow garden" of native plants.
He has created detailed black & white drawings for his landscape projects, many done by hand.
Kyle sent me this lovely colored pencil drawing of a squirrel that he created last December. It shows that he hasn't lost his talent for drawing with colored pencil:)
This past April I received another email from Kyle that contained images of his latest project, an intricate design with the title "Using Wildlife Corridors to Facilitate the Movement of Large Mammals in the Spring Creek Watershed.” He told me that his favorite graphic of the project is the perspective of the wildlife bridge. It took him 8 hours to complete the drawing! That’s dedication.
wildlife bridge perspective
Kyle is pursuing a career that makes great use of his artistic talent. I am so proud of him, and so pleased that he continues to delight me with his amazing, wonderful creations.
❤️
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