Mary Gwyn’s Art
About
At this point I have been teaching painting and drawing classes, mainly botanical watercolor, for a little over ten years. My specialty is nature, birds and plants primarily though I do some landscape as well. I paint in watercolor, oil, pastel but do quite a bit of pencil and ink drawing too. Silverpoint is a drawing technique I have taught occasionally.
My workshops are available as a Zoom lesson or workshop.
I love meeting other artists and helping them on their journey. My favorite thing is when someone thinks they can't do a certain type of art or technique and suddenly realizes they can do it! Its always a wonderful moment!
Photos and videos
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
First, I find out what their goal is and fit my process into theirs. It is about what someone wants to learn, not necessarily what I want to teach. The important thing is to match our goals.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I have a Bachelor's of Fine Art from the Corcoran College of Art and Design in Washington, D.C. amd a Master of Arts in Art Education from the University of Florida. I have been teaching with Watkins College of Art in Nashville, TN and other places for about 10 years.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
Usually, I charge $45 for a private individual session of 50 minutes. After the first lesson, the student has email access for follow up. All lessons are available by Zoom. Locations can be negotiated.
How did you get started teaching?
I love gardening and nature. I noticed there are lots of other people who do too and would love to paint or draw nature developing skills in techniques like Botanical Style, Nature Journaling and similar things. First I approached my local rec center and started teaching flower painting there. I loved it and decided to go back to school to get a master's degree in education to be a better teacher. I still love teaching art and have taught 100's of people from many walks of life.
What types of students have you worked with?
Almost entirely adults and community education. I have taught some high school students who want to learn serious drawing skills or are putting together a portfolio for applying to art schools. Infrequently, I have done a few children's classes.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
Last week end, a group of students and I went to Percy Warner Park in Nashville to find fall leaves, acorns and other plants. We did field sketches on Saturday using drawing tools particularily suited to working in the wild. The next day, we spent in the studio turning our field sketches into finished Botanical Style watercolor paintings. It was cold and rainy at the park but somehow that made it so much more fun!
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Ask questions! See if what I am teaching is what you want. I'm always ready to talk about your goals and how I can help you reach them.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
Decide what type of art you think you might like to learn and/or what your purpose is in looking for an art teacher. Do you want to learn oil painting, watercolor or pastel? Do you have a particular subject you would like to learn to draw or paint? What type of teacher works best for you? Why do you want art lessons?