Returning to Drawing

Each semester I ask my students to try a new skill. Challenge themselves. This semester I have decided to join them. While I have some experience with drawing, it has been 12 years since I picked up a pencil to sketch a picture. I am motivated to give my brain a different challenge as well as show my students that I am willing to take the same risk I am asking of them.

I have always loved to doodle. On my 10th wedding anniversary, my wife enrolled me in a drawing class at the community center in Rocky River, Ohio. I was terrified. But that fear is what inspired me to start this project at school. Too infrequently, we try new things, whether that be due to time or fear of failure. It was very nerve racking to have someone watch me sketch pictures. Afraid of doing it wrong or having a ridiculous end product was a constant in my mind through the first few hours. After a while, I forgot about it and enjoyed learning something I have never tried before. Even if I was bad at it, who cares!! The assignment and the skill is about finding out more about yourself and taking chances. We have to try new things and challenge ourselves if we want to grow.

This semester, as time permits, I will be working on this craft. I hope to rekindle some of my interest in art. I will be starting with still art, probable sketching one or more of my Founding Father bobble-heads.

I am hesitating to fully commit since at the same time I will be working on the skill, I will be teaching the class. I will update my progress and lessons learned just as I am expecting from my students.

Good luck to me and to my students....