What I Really Learned in Art Class by Lauren

What I Really Learned in Art Class by Lauren - July 2016 Scholarship Essay

For as long as I can remember, my interest has been in the visual arts. I began taking art classes at age eight, and I am still taking lessons. I have had several art teachers throughout my life, but the one teacher that has had the most influence in my life is Mary, a local artist. She is very passionate about art – and teaching art. She conveys this passion to her students. She has been my art teacher for seven years, and I am still in one of her classes. Not only is she my teacher and mentor, but she is also my friend.

When I first began taking classes from Mary, I learned that her class was very different from any other class that I had taken. Rather than assigning an art project, she would ask, “What do you want to do?” Mary had countless picture books, statues, toys, and other items to use as references. She even had a computer available to search for pictures to use as inspiration. She also had a variety of media for students to use. She had modeling clay, colored pencils, graphite, pastels, and many different paints ranging from acrylics to oils. With all these tools and materials available, I was allowed to choose what I wanted to make and in which medium to make it. The sky was the limit. In this way, Mary taught me to feel comfortable with my ideas and creations, no matter how unique they might have been.
Before I began taking classes from Mary, I had never been exposed to such varied forms of media in art. With this freedom to create whatever I wanted, I was able to try them. Through this experimentation, I realized how different each medium was, so I learned how to work with each one. This taught me which medium I preferred, such as oil paint, and which was not my favorite, such as acrylic paint. It also taught me how to branch out and try new things. This often took me outside of my comfort zone. I discovered different – and enjoyable – methods of artwork that I never would have learned had I not tried something new.

Mary has a very unique style of teaching art. She has constructed a supportive environment, rather than a competitive one. She will give advice on ways to improve artwork, but it is built on constructive criticism. Whenever a person shows her a piece of art, she begins any comments with compliments such as “This is gorgeous!” or “I love that!” Mary would never personally attack anyone or their artwork. In fact, she forbids any destructive criticism in the class. Anyone who ridicules another person is immediately expelled from her studio.
Mary’s firm belief in constructive criticism has been adopted by all of the other students. There are many positive comments shared between students about each other’s artwork. This has created a sense of equality and community in the environment.

There is a cost to students for classes, but Mary’s aim is not to make a profit. She uses the money received to purchase additional paints and tools for the classes. Mary does not teach to make money; she teaches to help students develop their talents. Mary also suffers from significant health issues. Despite this, she does everything she can to be there for her students and to continue teaching. This is an excellent example of selflessness. Mary cares and loves others enough to go above and beyond to help them. Not only has Mary been an influential teacher and mentor, she has also been an incredible example to me. This example has taught me much more than how to simply paint or draw.

Mary has taught me the importance of being kind and respectful, even when teaching and giving constructive criticism. She helped me to understand that there is no excuse for being mean, and that giving up some things to help others is more than worth it. All of these contribute to the greatest lesson that Mary has ever taught me: how to genuinely love others. Everything she does revolves around the love she feels for each and every one of her students. It’s something that anyone can easily see and feel. It makes an enormous contribution to the success and confidence of each of her students. I doubt that their talents and abilities would have flourished as much as they did without the kindness and love of their teacher. I am deeply grateful for Mary. She has done more for me than I'm sure she has ever realized. I yearn to emulate her example of unconditional love and kindness towards everyone and anyone.