Fall Art Lessons Begin

I have my own art school in my home and I have been preparing for another short semester of art lessons this fall. They go from the end of September through the second week of November and I teach lessons. I had at least 8 to 10 people who said they were interested but I have only a few who have actually committed to starting or have already started. How disappointing! I am finding it frustrating when people seem so enthusiastic about starting art lessons, then when you are ready to start and you call them, they cancel. Some won't even return my calls to tell me they can't take lessons this semester. Starting in 2008, I think I may change some of my general rules and require a refundable deposit that students get back after they have completed a series of lessons. I need to think of ways to motivate people to be more responsible and to protect myself from people who "flake out" on me.

This weekend I rearranged my art studio to make it more efficient. I have limited space in my studio and I am always thinking of new ways to make the most of it.

Today, I worked on a winter themed piece of art that will be used in my book, "The Measure of Man." It will be an illustration for my mother's poem, "The Winter of My Soul." It is about 3/4 of the way finished. Here is just a few lines from that poem:

".....Then the winter of my soul set in, life became cold and joyless and bleak. I wandered around in the desert, alone ,weary, afraid and weak.

My beloved was no more so near, though I knew he still watched over me. So remote and blurred was the vision, his dear face I no longer could see..."