Learning has no age limits

Last December (2010) I graduated from the University of Iowa. That meant that the year and a half I have to wait until I *hopefully* (fingers crossed) get into dental school will be filled with work, studying and applying to dental school, and the start of paying back my student loans. This doesn't sound like a lot of fun, so as a way to add some fun I decided to enroll in a painting class. Not only would I be learning different skills to grow as an artist, but now I would also have someone help give me some directions with my paintings (tell me things I'm doing well and should keep doing, and give me advice on things I should change). 

The class started on January 10, 2011, and so far has been an amazing experience for me. And even though it's a class; I don't see it that way --and definitely don't dread going to it like I did with many of my courses for my undergrad degree. There are many units that I think will challenge me to paint outside my comfort zone, but ultimately will help me shape and grow into a better painter.

While many of my paintings I've finished so far have been all over the board on the content (and usually relate to the mood I'm in), the paintings for my class already have a theme for what they will contain. However, my professor told us from the beginning that if we weren't feeling the unit that we could paint whatever we were feeling. He said this is the most important part of painting since it needs to come from your heart. Ryan also gave me this advice before my first painting. I think this is a very valuable lesson to learn, and I hope that I will continue to remember this advice the more and more that I paint.


I'll be adding the paintings that I've completed from my class on here since they are also part of the process of me growing as an artist; and should be included in it's documentation. I'm hoping to see a noticeable change in my paintings at the end of the semester when I'm able to compare this first and last paintings of the course. I'm very excited about this and looking forward to it. Hope everyone continues to enjoy what I create! :)