http://www.jerrysartarama.com/blog/post/2011/05/09/The-Total-Art-Experience-by-M-Theresa-Brown.aspx

Painting Dad

Art as Comfort Food!
by M Theresa Brown

Really, all we needed last night in our studio was a crackling fire to add a little more of the already present ambiance of the evening! Munching away on cookies and relaxing with hot coffee and lemonade (the wine has to be next for the all adult classes!) the two hour class zipped by. It was “comfort food” in the form of art!
Part of the idea behind the START (Stop Thinking Art is Really Tough) classes is to engage and re-engage artists of all ages and give them the opportunity to not only create but to experience new mediums and techniques.

In this class, we concentrated on dog portraits in acrylics. Our mother and teen daughter duo had never used acrylic paints. They travel a lot and were delighted to discover the ease of use and quick dry times of acrylic paints!
Our participating Dad, with his teen daughter, at the class after a long day at the office, relaxed completely as he became immersed in his painting! The interesting thing is how delighted the parents were at their own efforts. All of the participating parents had  re-connected with their art during the mini-workshop and had easily slipped into the Art Zone

I suggested to several adult siblings recently when they asked me how to get their mom back into painting, that with the holidays coming up, they should  purchase some art supplies, as well as an easel and taboret for their mother. Better yet, sneak into her home and set up a mini studio so that all she has to do is walk in and sit down to paint!
Add a gift certificate to a START class and they have given back to their mother, all the encouragement that she showered on them through the years!
The cycle doesn’t get any better than that!