I wanted to write about why I teach but while I was clearing drawers in my studio I ran across this article by Dawn von Rosen, Expression Magazine, September/October 2005. Dawn did an awesome job presenting the reasons to “take” a class and they mirror my own reasons for offering a class. Why reinvent the wheel?

• Meeting people! One of my favorite reasons for teaching and one that has taken a back seat during the recent 2-year COVID pandemic. Social distancing, masks, vaccine mandates, fear - ARGH. I am NOT a Zoom aficionado, so teaching online is not an option for me. I love interacting live, with people. Seeing their faces! Encouraging them, answering their questions “in person”. My “normal" will be returning to the classroom.
• The students. In every class I learn something new from my students. Thank you all for sharing your creativity and willingness to try something new.
• The medium. Variety is the spice of life and while I decide the medium we use in class, my students generally have lots of ideas on how to utilize that medium; perhaps a bit different than what I had in mind for the class project. Not always a good thing :-) but usually very enlightening.
• New techniques. Learn the rules and then break the rules. Sometimes we want to leap ahead to the end product without learning how to get there properly. When a student (or myself) has an “oops” in class it is instructive for everyone, e.g. I love the first person to be heavy-handed enough to put a hole in their metal. How else would we learn to mend our artwork and everyone benefits from the experience. Hooray!
• The Feel Good Factor. Hard to believe, but I am an introvert. I come out of my shell to teach and I leave the classroom buoyant, re-energized, and full of new ideas. Creative energy is contagious- Pass it on!