PopArt 2917

My process is identifying their own strengths and weaknesses, using their strengths to gain enough confidence within themselves that they feel like they can do anything. By any saying anything, I mean any type of art they are passionate about. I think artists putting themselves into uncomfortable positions, extracts the most growth. It's about all about confidence.

I have no formal training. My training consisted of me wasting thousand of dollars in paint in my room. By screwing up repeatedly and learning what works and what doesn't, it helped me identify what I needed to know.

Then one day in Jan. 2018, I met an artist/teacher in the park. We started talking, we became good friends, but within a month she offers me her art teaching job. At the time, I felt like I didn't know anything about art, so I responded to her & I don't know anything about art, she responded back with I have been in the business my entire life. This job it's for you, I wouldn't offer it to anybody else and I know dozens of people in the art business. I'm incredibly grateful has she seen something in me before I seen something in me. At the time I was just trying to sell my paintings. I thought that's what artist do is sell their paintings. 

I charge $100 per lesson, this price includes cost of quality Lukas paint, art materials, a 3 page typed list of helpful tips to take after the class is over, & Life Coaching we paint if needed. This price is for one artist ONLY.

If more than one artist wishes to attend a lesson, it will be an additional $40 per artist. Six artist limit per lesson based on amount of room we can use. Lessons will end whenever the artist, or artists  wishes to stop inside the 3-hour maximum time limit. Light snacks & refreshments are included upon request, in a smoke free, safe environment.

I do not travel outside my home anymore for classes unless students would like to plan a large class. That would include a minimum of 11 artists.

I was in Kiwanis Park in Tempe painting Martin Luther King jr. The day before Martin Luther King Day boo 2018. A woman jogging and I park stops me and says you look really familiar have you been to Jerry's artarama? I said yes we got to talk in them and we were both so passionate about art that we became friends. Within a month she had me substitute teach for her which scare me to death cuz I had no training at all. I struggled making it through the class, I have no idea what I was doing, but I knew it was for me. Suddenly selling my artwork wasn't near as appealing as teaching my artwork to others.

I've worked with all types of adults. I've had well experienced artist's attend my classes, as well as people who have never painted before. I enjoy both types, it's fun watching both types in a class work together, help each other, & inspire each other. The more relaxed I can make the atmosphere, the better their artwork comes out. 

The students never fail in my class, they only learn what does & doesn't work. If they paint something that looks like trash, that's because I didn't give them enough direction. When that happens I look for the imperfections within my teaching to improve next time. Sometimes they teach me something about myself that I wasn't aware of.

In April of 2017 I was in a really dark place in my life. I had no family or friends who were speaking to me. I was depressed I burned every bridge I could was every person I knew & I never hated myself more then I did during that time. I thought to myself, what am I going to do? I was so bored. I was sitting there & something told me just go get some paint start painting. I went to the art store, I was lost. I grabbed spray paint and made stencil outlines can you spray paint for my first couple pieces of Art.

The first time that I layed paint on canvas, I knew I had struck gold. It was the most incredible feeling. I felt invincible, my depression was immediately over. I went from being the most miserable person in the world, to the feeling like I could cure cancer. At that moment I started to change 3 decades of pain & suffering

My advice would be find a teacher that paint paintings that make you feel good when you see them. If you feel good by somebody else's work, it's because you're inspired by them. If that is something that you would like to replicate within yourself? By finding your own similar style, you'll have the best success finding someone you look up to who gives you the right guidance that you require. 

If your car has problems with the tires, you wouldn't go to a muffler shop to get it fixed. My point is there's thousands of different doors within the art community. It's all about finding the right door for you, there's no right or wrong answer. It's all on you and what makes you feel good. Art isn't a look, art is a feeling. Go where people make you feel better.

 I think an important one is how much to expect from yourself immediately. Learning to paint is a process just like anything else. It takes hard work, dedication, passion, & you have to want to do it.

I struggled a lot starting out & I have passion bleeding out of me. One of my students expected to paint this high level professional piece of art that was flawless for very first time painting. She had a picture of an image with at least 40 different colors in it. This person was emotionally destroyed why this art piece wasn't coming out the way they intended it to.

Important things to think ask yourself is why? Everyone has different needs & wants, I started painting because I thought it'd be cool to sell paintings. I thought piano someone who sells their art for a career would be a really cool job to have. And 3 1/2 years later I have no interest on selling my paintings at all. So what you may think you want? Might be the exact opposite? I think it's important to just be happy in the beginning and not expect too much too quickly.