When Char first started her Art Career she envisioned producing original works of Art using the best of nature’s raw materials. The goal was to capture visual and esthetical works of art by her own hand. With time, Char decided to share what she had learned with others, and decided classes to the public would be most rewarding and so started teaching “ART” some 30 years ago. Her desire to teach is best revealed in her own words:
“I’ve always enjoyed being a student of nature and learning its hidden meanings and I truly believe knowledge in all areas of life improves the understanding of art. Consequently, I believe even those with disparate backgrounds in History, Geology, Archaeology or even Mathematics bring experiences to the table which help in our expressions of Art.”
This philosophy has helped Char to enrich the lives of many students in her teachings through watercolor, weaving, mixed medium, pottery and printmaking. She brings to the table a rare sense of design and color expression in her works. A quick review of her work brings home the reality of this statement.
In conjunction with her overall teaching philosophy Char also brings to painting students a practical method of “how to” which is used in both color theory and application. She says: “Teaching art is about problem solving for both content and technique” and claims over her years of teaching has never run short of problems when teaching students.
Additionally, Char’s techniques apply to both young and old students alike because they are the same problems no matter the age.
Char’s short list of formal training includes:
Morningside College (Iowa)…Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics.
Broward Community College (Florida)….Basic design and Composition + Basic techniques for drawing.
Lane Community College (Oregon)….Life drawing + Print making + Art History + Watercolor.
Clark County Community College (Las Vegas)…..Pottery construction and techniques + Navajo weaving techniques + Printmaking and Serigraphy.
Char’s short list of formal teaching includes:
Clark County Community College (Las Vegas)…Created and taught Basketry and frame loom weaving + handbuilding pottery for 2 years.
Reed Whipple Cultural Center (Las Vegas)….Created weaving program and taught loom technique for 3 years.
Reed Whipple Cultural Center (Las Vegas) …Created Watercolor teaching program and taught classes for 7 years.
Reed Whipple cultural center (Las Vegas)….taught block and silkscreen printing.
Parks and recreation center (Boulder City)…Created and taught watercolor classes to the community at large for 8 years.
Additionally in her teaching career, Char has taught many weekend workshops in Southern Nevada, New Mexico, and Southern Utah.
She is a current member of many watercolor societies including the Nevada Watercolor society. Her paintings cover the globe and she has been represented in both Juried and non Juried shows alike in many Museums and Galleries. Her passion remains painting and she still paints almost every day.
