LECTURE ON STILL LIVES

Anybody who has been to my house knows that I'm a bit of a nut when it comes to still lives. I spent most of my childhood drawing them...so...its kind of what I do best. Honestly. I feel like still lives are my safe place. They don't move....they're pretty....and...I feel like anything I have done in my life (artwise) all somehow ties back to still lives. Unfortunately nobody wants to buy them, and most people find them boring. The most one can say about a still life is "that is executed well."

It is also something that Russians obsess about. For whatever reason. Its like..."hey look guest, my child is so cultured, she paints still lives! Isn't she AWESOME!!!??" Snobiness aside, It puts my heart at ease that most of the parents of my students recognize the importance of still lives in a child's education. Like doing math problems, it opens up a new way of thinking. By excercizing their visual analytical brain muscles, I find that my kids start seeing the world in a different way, and are able to grasp the "big picture" better.

For some reason, people think that if you study art, you are going to become an artist. I think that's absolute horse shit. Only the smallest sliver of the population goes on to become mathematicians post graduation, and yet they've been doing math their whole lives. Most people focus on "artsy crafts" when they work with children, because they severely underestimate their hungry little minds.

For the past month and a half I have been prepping one of my students for still lives. She just turned nine. Today was her second foray into the world of still life. And she loved it! "I don't understand why I was so afraid to do this! This is easy!" First time resulted in a weepy mess where I quickly had to dismantle the thing and save it for when she was more ready. But today was hyper success. I did it! I made understanding 3D forms EASY AND FUN FOR A 9 YEAR OLD! I'm so proud of her!  

Can't wait to light it and paint with watercolors!

WIP-Student

Couldn't help myself >.<

P.S. - I'm getting a blast from the past. Working at my school AFS doing some scene painting for the middle school show. Will post some progress pics for fun! Here's a brick oven I'm working on. Will replace with better pictures soon. See! Still life skills to the rescue once again!