This year with COVID we all had to adapt our lives and, especially, how we work. One of the ways I did that was to start offering personal one-on-one lessons via Zoom. I have mentored many people over the years but found that doing personal customized lessons was much more rewarding for both the teacher and student. It has changed the way I approach my teaching. Most of the students also competed in the IPC Print competition. So the lessons also included strategies, understanding categories, the 12 elements, and, of course, technique and storytelling. I was able to observe their improvement week to week, and the evolution was so much faster than teaching in a workshop. Mainly because it was so customized.
I don’t think I have ever been as proud as I am with this group of artists! They far exceeded my expectations and I witnessed growth like I have not seen before.
I pushed them hard and they worked hard. I do believe I gave them a little bit of my insanity. You have to be a little insane to work so hard on an image.
I witnessed a desire from each one of them wanting to be better and I will tell you this was a pleasure to watch.
Something changed in me through the lessons for the first time in my career teaching. I got more joy watching them prepare and compete than I ever did about my own images. When I had COVID, I would lie on the couch watching as their images came across the screen, rooting them on and was devastated when the images didn’t earn what we thought they would. I’m a little jaded on my own images but going through the process with them, sending text and screenshots back and forth brought me back to when I was just starting to compete. I reminded me how exciting it was to create and be creative.
Our team did awesomely. Some experienced firsts in this group. One went Diamond for the first time. A seasoned competitor went Diamond again. Another went 4 for 4 for the first time AND we had 5 GIA Top 10 Finalists. Another earned their Master’s Degree and Image Excellence Award. Personally, I got closer to my 5th Image Excellence Award. I could not be prouder than I am of these wonderfully talented people.
Sharing their accomplishments has convinced me that I should continue teaching one-on-one and helping people who want to learn. I want them to know they are all winners!
Our team collected:
- 50 Merits
- 30 Loans
- 5 GIA Finalists
- Shannon Towes – Diamond 4 Loans and Platinum 3 Loans
- Judy Reinford – Diamond 4 Loans and Platinum 3 Loans
- Jean Wall – Platinum and 1/1 and 1 Loan
- Heather Harvey – 2/3 – 1 loan 3/3 – 1 loan
- Iris Jackson – 3/4 1 Loan
- Megan Drane – 3/4 1 Loan
- Chris Fritchie – 4/4 Gold 2 loan and 2/4 1 Loan
- John Perea – 4/4 Gold 1 loan
- Richard Sturdevant – 4/4 Silver 1 Loan and Platinum 3 Loans
Join our team for the next competition season. These folks have signed up to continue in the 2021 season. Space is limited.
We also have about 4 others that taking lessons that are not competing. They just want to improve their skill.
I just want to say thank you to these wonderful people for helping me find my true calling. I realize that my joy comes from lifting others and not myself.
I wish I had realized this, years ago, but I guess we all have a path to follow to get where we need to be. Blessed to do what I love.
