Workshop Testimonials
Thank you, thank you again for a superb course, you are by far the best and most organized art instructor I know. You have summarized all the very relevant info so well. I really looked forward to and enjoyed every week and will miss Thursday afternoon instruction from now on. It was definitely the right thing to sign up for this winter!
Thank you Brian for a truly wonderful three days, loved every minute of it. You are a great teacher and I always feel inspired when I look at your work.
I am really going to miss your energy, mentoring, and positivity. You’ve had a tremendous influence on my outlook on art. You share your time and expertise in such a generous way, all too rare in this world. Your input is always helpful and constructive. I look forward to working with you again.
Brian is an exceptional facilitator, which is why I signed up for the next session with him. I too spent my career as an instructor/counsellor. There are always ways to improve upon our instructional techniques, but I believe the desire to help others learn, authenticity, empathy, and generosity are key ingredients to being a great facilitator. Brian has those qualities in spades (in addition to his knowledge).
Something I really enjoyed was the "paint along" - where you would demonstrate something, then we would get at it, you would provide individual feedback, and then repeat. For me, this helped me better understand "your" approach, which is what I wanted to learn. Not just your style, but the way you attack the canvas, the way you use your tools, and the nuances of 'from start to finish'.
Your passion for painting and teaching is obvious and infectious. It's funny, because I too enjoy teaching very much and admire the place you're at in life right now - being able to do both, and inspire others.
It's critical to really understand the fundamentals, and you explained them in a very easy-to-grasp way. And then you showed us how to apply them, which is, of course, the most important part.
The experience, for me, was extremely useful. From the way you presented the reading material to the structure of the sessions, I loved every minute of it - even though it was hard emotionally, painting outside the safety of my own studio (in front of others) and of course in front of you. :) I mean this as a compliment of course. As you know, I admire your work so much and was thrilled to have the opportunity to learn from you, and to get to know you a little better.
It is easy to see that you are so passionate about your painting and that you are so open to learn and experiment more. You are a very inspiring artist.. I am excited about getting into more painting as I feel more confident after your class
Your exemplary teaching skills combined with your intense passion for art and with your masterful painting skills made this a powerful learning experience for me.
Your passion for teaching and quality painting shows in everything you do in class. I liked the way you always asked permission before picking up someone's paintbrush to show a technique or a different way of doing things. I have been in classes where this type of respect was not the norm.
your academic rigour certainly comes through in your teaching and application... very valuable, and as you point out, for those with discipline, results will come
" I've been through your notes and wanted to tell you that I think they are fantastic! You explain important concepts in a very simple, easy-to-understand way. Many instructors I had during my art degree many years ago did not come close to helping students understand these concepts, let alone why they are important. Your advice is practical and very helpful. I have so much to learn! :)
Thank you so much for the wonderful workshop. I don't know that I can be very constructive in my assessment of your workshop because I loved it. You left me very inspired to continue with plein air and very humbled to know how far I have to go. I also feel inspired that you too are not a lifelong, 30yr, etc., a veteran of painting and yet you are very accomplished for being so relatively new at painting.
You are an exceptional teacher. Your patience and casual calm delivery were so helpful. Your process and routine were invaluable. I liked the setup today. Worked well. Art rage 6 is unbelievable. Thank you