THANK YOU! Now teacher needs a rest...

I just wanted to say a big 'thank you' to all the students - and  now my art friends - who turned up at Graphaids in CA last week for a mini cheese and wine moment late afternoon battling hellish LA freeways.

It has been my privilege to get to know and teach you over the last three years at various art spots, from my own early teaching venue at Graphaids, to The California Art Institute and then The Los Angeles Figurative Academy of Art, alongside my own private workshops.

It was wonderful to catch up with old friends and new news. As any of you know who have studied with me for a bit, I like to know the story behind the art lover/student who shows up in my class on any given day.  It is important to me...and I feel an 'art spirit' privilege to teach.

I am also proud that many of my students are now winning and entering competitions, getting portrait commissions,  in their own right. 

It is now final....I will be taking an extended teaching break after this current semester at LAAFA ends in September to go to France until year's end on an international painting grant award for quite a few weeks. The thought of not having to prepare a still life each week, or a portrait pose, after three years of doing  so, week in, week out,  around my personal commission painting/travel workload, is dare I say quite delicious. Forgive me...shhh...

Ahh.. to wake up in France for a few weeks, thinking of only myself, painting, and what croissant I should eat???  You get the picture...

But really, heartfelt thanks to all who showed up.  It was special as has been the teaching journey. That journey has made me a better person and artist. And I am still working on that!

Special thanks are also due to the lovely Nicole Festa at Graphaids who did ALL the hard work for the show and the wine and cheese moment.

THANK YOU! It was special for me.