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There have been a lot of questions lately coming up about teaching art online, teaching in general and selling art online. I just finished a week long online workshop. Here are some of my pros and cons of teaching online.

* Lots of prep work - Pros and Cons, the short of it is it makes you more organized in order to be prepared for teaching. 

* Technology - kind of a Con, you need to make sure you have the right equipment to teach. A computer with good camera and microphone. I found out my little laptop has a terrible microphone. With the help of my husband, Rick, he had a good headset that I could use. You need a separate camera, a cell phone will work, to do close ups of the demonstrations. You will need something to hold your cell phone while you are working. This is an expense for artists and teachers before you even start your program.

* Cameras - there are lots of webcam options. Most cameras have auto focus, on your computer/cell phone/webcam, the cameras are doing their best to focus for you but you keep moving. Especially when you are doing a demo, your hands are in and out of the focal point. Remember to take a breath. Move your hands out of the way for your students to see in focus what you are working on, a bit of a Pro - makes you slow down. Follow up by sending email with images in focus and instructions.

* Extras - I was working from a small laptop, lucky for me, Rick bought me a separate monitor for when I am working on photos I can actually see the image. It helped me to see students works better. I could "pin" the image and see it enlarged. Pinning is something you do on Zoom, falls under learning new skills. All a Pro to help see better. 

* New Skills - there is a learning curve to using Zoom and other group share programs. Allow yourself some practice time. Invite your friends to a free demo! Ask for honest feedback and no unfriending them afterwards. As you start the first day of a class, everyone will have a different model of computer, laptops, ipads, iphone, etc. Give yourself a little time for logging into your class, the students are learning as well as the instructors.

* Work in Progress - the biggest Con for me was I could not walk around and see my students work. My style of teaching is walking around and giving one on one feedback. You have to ask the students to hold up there work and ask if they need help. I went for the old "Show and Tell" I would have them one by one hold up their work. Depending on the size of the class may not be the fastest option. I had them email me their works in progress and finished pieces. This allow me time to adjust my lecture for the next day, this was a Pro. 

* PowerPoint Presentations - I did not do one everyday but did several. The advantage to this verses holding up artwork is the images stay in focus. The Pros and Cons, learn to create PowerPoint, how to "Share" a file online and then make it show as a "Slide Show".  Again learning curves. 

* Slide Shows & Videos - lots of options to making a slide show/video that later can be posted on social media. Falls again into the learning curve. Each computer has a different format, the Pro of a slide show is after all the work is done, you can present it your class or the whole world to enjoy. Additional Pro of video/slide show you can make tutorials for your students of the demonstrations. You are seeing more and more of these on YouTube. Some are free, some  you pay to learn. Again a Pro as this is a way to generate income for artist/teachers.   

* Art Shows - creating art shows for online exhibit and sales, should be a Pro. Images should be in focus, they can include title and price (remember shipping costs). Technology makes it easy to share but an image can be copied and pulled off line, a Con, in so many ways. I will address copyright and trying to protect your artwork online in a future blog. 

* Selling Art - I work up several in process demonstration pieces. Some become finished pieces, which I do sell. This year has been the year of the tree and the octopus in my creations. I have another octopus in process but have several small tree pieces that are for sale. Common Ground on the Hill, has been doing their Traditions Weeks for 26 years. This was the first time ever to do this massive 3 week project online. They had classes, artists talks, concerts, keynote speakers and more. I thought I would sell these small approximately 4.5 x 12" pieces un-matted, unframed for 50.00 each, that includes shipping within the continental United States. Fifty percent (50%) will go to CGOTH. If you live in Canada I can check on shipping cost and we can make it work. This would be a Pro for everyone, CGOTH gets some funds, I cover my costs and you get a original piece of artwork. Just email me at [email protected] 

Here are the mixed medium tree pieces on sale. They were created using watercolor: paint, pencils, crayons, soft pastel and markers on paper.  

You can go to Friends of Common Ground on Facebook or YouTube to see students Art Show, watch some of the talks and musical performances. 

Hope this was a little helpful if you are thinking of teaching online or showing your work. This future is a little unclear but a creative heart and mind will help define the path we need to make. As always, take care, be safe, mask up, linda hp

This spring and summer I have been working on some  of my favorite things - trees. I was hired to do a commission of my rooted tree pieces. I usually do these in a small long format but have done them larger. I ask a fair amount of questions in the beginning of a commission to make sure I am creating what the client envisions. The request was for a larger tree, incorporating blue and green colors with a tree that says Arizona. 

I carry a camera pretty much everywhere I go to take reference pictures for my artwork and for student workshops. Which is why I just bought a new external hard drive, just for pictures. I had some photos on hand plus the palo verdes were in full bloom, more pictures. The palos are beautiful but very yellow, the bark is green but did not feel like enough green and grass does not come in to play in Arizona. I had the blue covered with the sky. A few more searches for the right picture and I was ready to do a sample for colors and composition. 

To begin the tree pieces I create several background. Using watercolor, watercolor crayons and watercolor pencils. The background is sprayed with water, allow the marks to spread and dry. Once that is done you see which ones will work best. Next comes playing with composition and color. I struggle with making trees small. One of the reason I do the little pieces is to push myself to focus on proportion within the space. Making choices in the beginning, which Arizona tree to choose, mesquites are nice, have yellow flowers and green leaves. This little sample piece turned into a mesquite but after a few experiments I thought the Blue Palo Verde would be the right tree for this gift. 

The tree trunk and leaves are sketch with charcoal pencil, pastel is added for color. The roots start with the drips, using pastel and markers adds addition details. The markers are used within the tree trunk, sometimes to add dark texture or white to add highlights. After finished this piece, it felt grounded to me, that became the title of this commission. 

"Grounded" framed it is 20.5 by 24.5", mixed media with pastel on paper. 

The mesquite, titled: "Inspiration Runs Deep" is 8.5 by 18" framed, mixed media with pastel on paper and it can be purchased for $350.00 and for the month of July I will cover the shipping within the continental U.S.   

If you would like to learn how to create drippy mixed media pieces of your own, there are still a few opening in my online workshop coming up July 13th. Just go to www.commongroundonthehill.org for details, under Tradition Weeks.

If you would like this blog/newsletter to come directly to your in-box, you can sign up on my website or let me know.  www.lindaharrisonparsons.com [email protected] 

Until next time, take care, be safe, linda hp