About
I am a 36 year old resident of West Palm Beach that has been professionally teaching for over 15 years. I was an artist in residence at The Armory Art Center as well as an instructor there. I have a BFA from Palm Beach Atlantic and I am almost finished with my MFA from Savannah College of Art & Design. I am a professional portrait artist, and my specialty is in oils. I also love to teach watercolor, acrylic, and drawing.
I love seeing people learn. There is no greater reward to me than teaching ANYTHING. I personally love Art & Music, but I get really excited to see people learn ANY new skill. I enjoy the challenge of finding the best way to help someone overcome whatever hurdles they face in achieving their goals. Specifically in Art, my expertise in painting/drawing allows me to quickly pinpoint what areas a student needs to focus on without wasting time on things they are already proficient at! As a result, the student gets the most out of each lesson.
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
First and foremost, I like to get to know the student. I custom tailor each lesson to meet the objectives of the student, so it is essential that I understand the students proficiency and what type of lessons they are looking for.
**Disclaimer**
I teach because I love to teach. I promise that if you REALLY want to learn, and are willing to try different mediums, techniques, subject matter, etc. I will get you to where you want to be. I am not a harsh person, but I am NOT an ego stroking machine. I would be doing myself, and my students, a disservice to take their hard earned money just to stand there for two hours telling them how wonderful their paintings are! If you're THAT good, you don't need lessons to begin with!
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I have a BFA from Palm Beach Atlantic University with a major in Painting and a minor in Computer Animation. I am also working towards my Masters in Sculpture from Savannah College of Art and Design.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
Depending on the students needs, my prices can vary. If the student has all materials and is within 5 miles or so from West Palm Beach, a two hour lesson will be $50. At times, I have traveled furthur than that, and even supplied materials, but that will have to be discussed ahead of time to determine a price. I have also recently been doing online critiques for students that are out of the area and wish to continue to receive input on their latests projects. Those critiques are $25 each and contain a written critique as well as a visual overlay of potential changes. If you would like a sample of what is included in the critique you may email me at [email protected]
How did you get started teaching?
I started teaching when I was eighteen years old. I started studying with a master portraitist when I was thirteen and began assisting him in his workshops and classes when I reached eighteen (actually before that). Since then, I have taught at various ateliers like The Armory Art Center in West Palm Beach and The Art Students Guild of Melbourne.
What types of students have you worked with?
All types. Literally EVERY age and EVERY skill level. In fact, one of my classes at the Armory was an ALL MEDIA class that had students working at the same time in multiple subject matters and materials!
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
The birth of my son, Oliver, of course !
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
1. Don't assume an "artist" with a Masters degree knows how to paint (I almost have mine and I wonder how some of my classmates are going to make a living)
2. An amazing artist doesn't necessarily know how to teach
3. Don't listen to ANY teacher that says you will be Rembrandt after a few lessons (you want to be yourself anyway!)
4. Make sure you know your objectives. If you are doing Art as a hobby that's awesome! If you are persuing Art as a career, or as a serious interest, find an instructor that is passionate about helping you reach your goals.
5. Curriculums are great, but lessons catered to your needs are best in my opinion.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
<see above>
Honestly, the previous question answers a lot of this.
1. Ask why the teacher got into teaching (passion beats money every time)
2. Ask yourself if you are ready to receive constructive criticism. Art is a brutal field and if you want to get good, you need to learn from your mistakes. I regularly make mistakes and I've been painting professionally for over 20 years! Thank goodness I still have my mentor to call or critique my work!
3. Be real about your goals. Try to come up with a timeline of how much you can dedicate to practicing, and how far you expect to get in a given time. Nothing says you can't start painting as a hobby and then up loving it so much that you make a living out of it!