How can I get a good education in art as a home schooled student?

Marketing Strategies

I’m a graphic artist, I think I can help you.

You are in a GREAT position to get an education in art! First, you have all the time in the world…yay! You’re not tied down by schedules, which is perfect.

1. Learn. Learn everything. From everyone! Take a pottery class with the local Artist’s Guild, make fusion glass at the chain store that lets you paint ceramics, try everything you can get your hands on. Go to the art museum and just go soak it in. Maybe you’ll spend all day in the modern art section and maybe you’ll prefer to sit and stare at the medieval armor. Maybe you’ll spend most of your time looking at the Greek pots and sculpture, or maybe the ancient Mayan gods catch your eye. Read about it…look for book on the pieces you especially enjoy, and ask the person down in the gift shop or at the information desk if they have any classes / tours you can join, or if they have an audio tour you can rent for the day, or if they sell books on pieces A B and C. Ask if they have a list of local artist associations who are open to new members, or new students.

2. Look for teachers. The woods are crawling with them! You’ll be your biggest teacher, of course. But maybe there’s someone on PBS you like a lot, and even if it’s kitschy…oh hell, go for it, imbibe for awhile! Check out your local community center, there are often artists hoping to make a few bucks by teaching a class. Take another drawing class, or watercolors, or acrylics. Maybe they do pottery, too, or weaving. Try it!

3. Look for schools. Sometimes a class here are there at the community college can boost your education into new places. Call the Fine Arts department ahead of time and see if you can make an appointment with someone to talk to you about art classes and how you can attend. Can you audit them? (No credit, no admissions hassles.) But don’t just wander up there, they’ll be mad if you expect them to have time whenever you just drop in. A friendly email may do the trick, too. Look for how-to books at the library; freaky stuff like “Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain” is always good.

4. The web is full of stuff! I liked this one:

Links are at the bottom of the article and you can contact the author, too!

5. Practice, practice, practice. And then practice some more.

6. Look for art shows. Sometimes you can speak to the artist, but more often you simply become a fixture and you start making connections within the local art scene. One day you’ll go to the Stone and Metal art show and casually mention an interest in painting with guaches, and suddenly someone will say, “Oh, Carol does that, wait right here,” and pretty soon you’re talking to Carol, comparing notes, and she’s sharing resources with you. Good stuff.

7. Hold an art show. Often the little, independent coffee shops in town will let you display and sell some of your pieces over the course of a month or two.

8. Don’t forget to be inspired by kids’s stuff. Make a tie-dyed shirt, carve a pumpkin this Halloween, draw with crayons, read books like The Dot.

And check for artsy places in town, a lot of design houses will have events in them where you can meet local artists. Try Meetup.com, too, there’s often something going on there as well.

HTH!

Marketing Strategies

1. Look into classes in your community. If you have an Alliance for the Arts, or even a Parks and Recreation department in your city (you probably do), chances are there is an art class offered somewhere for youth and adults. You can also check the Yellow pages

2. See if local schools in your area allow homeschoolers to take electives part time. Many states are required to allow this, primarily because you are still meeting state standards of education and paying school taxes (well, your parents are). If they allow it, register for art classes at your local high school

3. See if you have a local homeschool group or co-op. Most areas have at least one if not more, and these groups will often organize art programs for the homeschoolers involved.

4. Are you in high school? If so, look into duel-enrolling at your local community college and taking an art class or two. Homeschoolers commonly do this. Not only will you receive art education, but you’ll get a head start earning college credit as well.

5. See if that same community college offers art classes that are open to non-students. Many do

6. Look into a self-paced art curriculum for home schoolers. Artistic Pursuits is absolutely WONDERFUL. Google it and check out the middle and high school level programs. They’re reasonably affordable, and you can even purchase all the supplies at the same website. It could be a great edition to your overall home school curriculum.

7. Go to the library. Some libraries have art programs for youth, and even if yours does not, you can check out how-to books and videos to help yourself learn artistic skills. You can also improve your art history knowledge and art appreciation.

8. Go to Michaels Arts and Crafts or Joanne Fabrics stores. These stores not only have lots of supplies and educational resources, they sometimes even offer lessons and workshops which can be a lot of fun. You can focus on a specific discipline like painting or ceramics, or you can try some general arts and crafts and broaden your horizons.

9. Use the internet. Youtube, Google, etc are all great ways to find art tutorials.

10. Go on field trips! Go to museums, art shows, art galleries, etc to examine the work of the masters and improve your understanding and appreciation of art. You are also likely to find useful resources for art lessons, supplies, etc if you ask someone who works with art.