About Us
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Art Smart classes are small home-based classes taught by one teacher who knows and cares about each of the young artists. The classes have been a neighbourhood fixture for decades. Karyn Walsh is not only an artist (see below) but has had extensive teaching experience (more than art!) in the local schools. Using her teaching skills, she has demonstrated that art, including drawing, can be taught to all students. Children's self-confidence in their art ultimately depends on drawing ability. Art Smart classes make use of a system of drawing instruction which has been enormously successful across the United States. Further instruction makes use of the latest understanding of perception and brain function. The young artists then have a solid foundation on which their creativity can be nurtured. They learn to appreciate individual expression as they work in a non-judgemental environment with confidence. Senior school students will find their way smoothed and their puzzles demystified with tips from a teacher who has worked with the Junior and Leaving Certificate art exams. All students, but especially the older ones, are taught to appreciate the vast spectrum of visual art and professional artists. High quality materials add to the children's finished projects and their sense of achievement. The wide use of different media not only trains the children in the media, but is also aimed to give the children the confidence to experiment. There is a sense of adventure to the classes. What will be next? "An "Eat and Draw session? Shrink Your Friend? The sketching trip? Frequently used media include artists' markers, watercolours, gouache, pastels, drawing and coloured pencils (including watercolour pencils) and acrylics. We have also made use of oil pastels, pastel pencils, Indian ink, spray paint, collage, collagraph prints, felt and, of course, mixed media. 3D and crafts projects have included the popular polymer clay (Fimo and Sculpey), ceramic and glass paints, salt dough sculpture, pop-up book construction, coloured "foam", origami and felt-making! Everything is done to give the students a sense of achievement. In some years this includes the public exhibition of their work, taking advantage, when possible, of local events such as the Dublin Millennium, Terenure 2000 or the Heritage Week at the Dublin Castle. If you happen to visit the National Children's Hospital in Tallaght, be sure to look for the corridor that displays our framed series of polymer clay reliefs, "A Trip to the Zoo." Karyn Walsh was born and educated in the United States, but has been a long term resident of Dublin, teaching in the local schools. Her own work has been exhibited in galleries including the Kennedy Gallery and the Mall Galleries, London (with the Society for Art of the Imagination) and has been published in streetwisedublin.com: the City Handbook. |
