No Experience Necessary

No Experience Necessary

Posted by Kate Manville-Schwartz on May 24th 2021

I've seen this a billion times in my years as an educator: students telling me, during their first studio class, that they were NOT an artist. When you tell me this, I want you to know; For one, who told you that? For two, thats not true at all.  I want every student future to know, that because you have little or no experience, that doesn't mean you aren't talented. You've just never had a real art teacher.

In every class, I encourage students to talk about their art experience.  Most adults haven't had an art class since high school 20 years ago.

The effort you put into my classes is worth more then any experience you've had previously. You are worthy of education! However, there is a catch...there is something I can't teach you: believing that you are worth the time, energy and value of an art education, and that studying art will make a difference in your life. Relinquish the idea that having no experience, due to a lack of education, means you aren't talented.

Here is the formula I like to tell people:

Time+Energy= Talent

Natural artistic ability happens sometimes, but its rare. Almost every 'artistic' or 'creative' person simply had the determination to learn, took the time to practice, and has energy to keep trying! Believing in yourself shouldn't end in childhood, this is a lifetime skill. If you would like to talk about this more, come to Open Studio.  Meet with me.  I want to show you that you ARE an ARTIST!