Classes and Workshops

Information about my children's art classes in Musgrave, Durban, KZN South Africa:

CHILDREN’S ART CLASSES
&

 HOLIDAY WORKSHOPS

Regular classes:

At G14 Garden Grove Retirement Centre

Students 8 – 16 years Fee: R450 per month

 

March Morning Workshop:

27^th or 28^th March from 9:00 – 12:30 in Musgrave Rd

Each student will go home with a completed painting on canvas

Fee: R150 includes canvas and all materials, snack and drink

Contact: Marie Theron

083 681 4401

A Beautiful Owl Painting

I was so amazed when I found that my students researched "owls" on the Internet.  I heard questions like "Would they come and live here if we put up owl boxes?" "Are there other sanctuaries where we can see them?" I would be happy to know who handles owls and would be willing to receive a visit from the class.

 

When a subject is so interesting to the children, we carry the theme into a further session. For the acrylic painting class on owls, the journals were put aside. From the moment this girl started her owl, I kept well away. I only mentioned Sap Green as a possible colour to brighten the foliage, and reminded her that the white owl must really stand out in the painting and must not disappear in the busy foliage.

 

This went so well. Just look at the confident
and rhythmic strokes of the foliage!



A truly successful painting for a 14-year old!
Owl is camouflaged, yet well defined.
 

The best test to determine whether
 the tonal values are successful,
 is to look at the subject in black and white.
Yes, it worked a 100% and the detail can be seen!

And so, a confession: this young artist is my
granddaughter, a fifth generation artist in the family.
I hope to surround her with strong young artists continuously. I love the class dynamic and work ethic that we are establishing.





Bird Painting on Sheet Music Background

These are the detailed steps for the bird painting. About 15 children divided  into two sessions enjoyed this lesson during the holidays.

Instructions:

Put the following materials together: Canvas board or strong cereal box paper, photocopies or prints of music, calendar or magazine pictures of birds, modge podge, acrylic paints, containers for water, brushes.



Each student cuts or tears the sheet music and glues it onto the canvas, using a brush and modge podge. The modge podge must cover the front of the print too, to seal it. (Wash the brush well afterwards!)


After drying, paint the blue sky around the border and cover small areas of the paper too.

 

Paint a white form to give the bird an opaque background.

 

 

 

 

Paint the leaves to look like a border, using two colours of green, and continue to finish the bird.



 

Done!

This class was conducted during holiday times, when a few parents were looking for pleasant activities for their children. I was pleased that the kids were so interested in the project and left with such lovely bird paintings.

 

In the next blog, I will tell you how my very small workspace lead to the creation of a wonderful new course for children!

 

 







 

Kids and the Joy of Art

I have been a blogger since 2009 when I lived on, and chronicled the West Coast of the Cape. So much happens in ten years! Here I am now greeting you from the Durban Berea two weeks short of my 75th birthday. After a fine arts career of many years, I am back at my first love, namely teaching. To tutor children and open the doors to the art world is the greatest fun. My only real worry....how short are those school years! Do we have enough time?

 

In this blog I will take you through our many different lessons, which you may use too.

 

In this first blog post, I will show you a lesson I gave shortly after moving into a retirement centre. I made an instant connection with my pupils and knew that teaching would be my work of choice!

 

In this blog I will take you through many of our lessons. From each session I felt that I have learnt so much from the children.

The pure joy of creativity!

All the pensive guys



Enthusiasm and talent!



The children received a canvas board, sheet music and a photo for inspiration. I loved the individuality of the work.
This five-year old girl recreated a photo of a bird perched on a delicate porcelain cup.

Great! I love the border too!
 

Such a good day's work! the ages of the students
are from 5 years old to 14.



Great texture!

A bird in the hand are worth two in the bush!
Very original! It looks so musical!

From the first class I found this serious
concentration and joy in their work