October 29, 2006

More on off

This morning I was talking to a friend who asked me if I had a back-up plan, for when my (Un)Employment Insurance runs out (at least I get something—but not a retirement package—to help me through this big change). (I will definitely need to repace the loss of income somehow.) My plan is to paint and paint and paint and find places/homes/galleries that will appreciate (monitarily) the paintings and allow me to (buy more art supplies and) paint more. My back-up plan is to paint and paint and paint and find places/homes/galleries that will appreciate the paintings and allow me to paint more.

My job at the Art College has been a good one. It pays well for what I do, although not as well as it could if I had had full-time status (which also would have included committee work and a lot more responsibilities to take me away from painting, so it was fine being part-time). I’ve tried teaching from my home and also in other places. But it would never pay as well nor would the students have the same immersion in their work which is such a thrill for me at an art college. And at this point my studio would not accommodate anyone else. It is very crowded with me.

One new kind of teaching I’ve been doing recently is with workshops. I’ve been enjoying it very much. The next one is in a couple of weeks on the French Shore in Nova Scotia. It will focus on color and oil bars. The last one was color and abstraction. I would enjoy doing more of these workshops—itenerent teaching.

Posted by leya at October 29, 2006 06:57 PM
Comments

Leya,

Had I been a student of yours that day when you walked into the classroom, I would have cried right along with you. Your class was always the one class that I looked forward to going to, more than all the others. When I look back at those years with you and Susan Trenholm and numerous others, well they are precious memories. We had fun! Every time I returned to NSCAD I took a class from you and because of that you are always in my heart. Hugs!

When my Dad died, I had so many of his former students telling me how much he meant to them. He was always available for advice and encouragement and he really cared about his students. We had cards from all over the world, with kind words about what I difference he made in so many peoples lives. I know this to be true because it came from deep within their hearts and they all told the same story. He even taught the nurses who cared so lovingly for him in hospital and when he finally left us, they cried too.

I assure you, that you have had that same impact on your students over the past twenty years. I know this because I was there and saw how you built a relationship with each of us, as a friend, fellow artist and as a teacher.

with love
jacie


Posted by: Jackie at November 3, 2006 02:35 PM

Thank you so much, Jackie. You were a delightful student. I really enjoyed knowing you then and am so glad to see your recent paintings.

Posted by: Leya at November 4, 2006 07:25 PM