When I retired from full time arts education in 2006 I wasn’t sure I would ever want to go back in the classroom again. How could I possible top my wonderful 25 years at Mariemont? Then, in 2012 an opportunity came my way- to be an Adjunct at Xavier University in the Art Department Saturday College. I seized it and loved every minute of it. I would do that again in a heart beat. Last October Todd Camp, the Associate Director of the Columbus Cultural Arts Center, called me and offered me another rare experience . He asked me to teach a 4 day workshop at their facility in Columbus. After a minute’s hesitation I said yes. In two short weeks this workshop will happen.
I have been very busy planning what to teach, how to teach it and how much I can jam in to 4 short days. It’s something I have not ever taught- my mixed media process. So, it’s taking a lot of planning. And it is causing me to examine my process with a magnifying glass. You see, I just do it, I have never really figured out a specific step by step procedure. Good teachers should analyze the information they plan to discuss and then give that information to students a bit at a time. With this in mind I have been back-tracking and trying to pinpoint what exactly my process is. Crazy, right?
This I know, I am looking forward to this entire experience and also spending time at this amazing facility. I visited for a day to see the place and fine tune my ideas with Todd a couple weeks ago. I was very impressed with the range of subjects that are taught in the building. Looms, jewelry equipment, kilns for clay, enameling, and a huge painting studio… all there. My home for the week will be in the painting studio. While I was visiting, Todd also generously invited us to the Patron Party held at CCAC last Friday evening. It was a huge party to thank the patrons of the center and a kickoff for the Columbus Arts Festival weekend. What a great party! We had a memorable evening sampling the food, meeting nice people and touring the building. Mark enjoyed seeing the building, a former Armory. The art festival was exceptional. We were surprised to see so many different artists other than those who regularly exhibit at Summerfair. All in all it was a great night and worth the drive.
I will try to post photos and a description of what’s going on while I am in Columbus. It’s going to be such fun and something new for me. I am already getting requests for a workshop in Cincinnati so who knows, this teaching bug may get ahold of me again! Once a teacher, always a teacher. 
