"Chinese Food or Pizza?"

• 2023 Feb/Mar Instruction for After School Kids Art Club
• 12x15 canvas slim - my demo project for the class, Framed
• topic this year was Parrots and Birds of Paradise

I've been teaching painting for 25 years and the kids spring program at our public school for about 15 years. Last year was the first year back after a two year Covid break in the program. The kids love the instruction and I chose animals for them to paint from around the world. This year the suggestion was Birds. Next year they want to create African animals. There were 19 kids in the class this year from Grades 4-7.

That was way beyond what I could problem solve with individual paintings. The First day was chaotic with only me there to help, although the teacher Rose was amazing. The kids only have 1.5 hours over 5 weekly classes to first draw their painting by gridding followed by painting, varnishing and their signatures. I asked for help from my painting group and what a difference that made for me. I was embarrassed by the chaos with the retired teachers who volunteered then one of them said, "Creativity is Chaotic". "However", he added, "You wouldn't want to be that chaotic in a workshop class, where you can lose body parts!"