Teach again

So, you put something on your list and then it starts happening? Is that how it works? I mean, I get the whole ‘ask for what you want’ ‘secret’ stuff. But usually that’s a bit more involved than just adding it to some list.

I put ‘Get my Mermaid clothing into some stores’ on the list… and suddenly and with no effort I have 3 stores with my stuff in them.

I put ‘Teach again’ on the list, thinking very much in the long term. No real effort or plan… and someone contacts me about holding a silk painting class.

Now if only those student loans would disappear…

I like it on different levels. Well, I think it’s a great way to save the world with art. My thing is convincing non-artsy folks that art is for everyone. It opens us up to possibilities, feelings, skills we didn’t know we had. Great for problem solving. Meditative. Contemplative. Etc etc. But people are taught that only certain ‘special’ people can make art. No no, it’s a learned skill just like anything… some folks are naturally better at it than others is all.

I also like teaching because it’s a flexible way for me to make money. Finding a place to do it is the challenge… and creating a class folks want to take. Once that’s figured out, and the class details created… I can just do the same class over and over. It’s less cost for supplies, and more getting paid for my skill and time.

Some hesitations I have right now… um… well I have to feel confident in what I’m teaching. I know how to do a million types of art and craft. But to teach something, you should be an expert in it. Right? I’m more of a jack of all trades, master of a few. But I know I can do almost any art thing, make it into a class, then teach it. Even thought I don’t have years of experience in that particular craft.

Recently, an art workshop opened around here. They invited artists to teach there. Understandably, they want to see a portfolio that shows proficiency in the medium taught. Hey, I don’t have one. I don’t have years of silk painting work to show. I don’t want to teach people how to dye stuff the way I do for my biz, it doesn’t make sense (unless they want to dye tubs of stuff at a time and compete with me). I don’t even have much experience with traditional tie dye methods. Um…

Well, I’ll think about this more. I do think teaching is the best way to get through the craft-show-less winter months. Maybe putting it on the list will help things along.