Mahima

I am Mahima, I am 13 years old and have been in this class for about a little over a year and this is my art journey and feedback letter.

I remember when first joining this class, I thought of this as just a way to pass time and remember wondering why I was doing this. To say that I was wrong would be a major understatement. My very first drawing in this class was a simple vegetable basket. Or at least I thought it was. Overcome with arrogance, I started drawing it but little did I know that this "simple drawing" would show me just how underdeveloped my sketching skills are. I remember making excuses as to why my drawing looked this immature just to boost my pride but eventually I absorbed the harsh fact that my artwork needed work, a lot of it. They say you cannot run before walking. In my case I needed to understand that instead of trying to draw the most complex sketches I could find, I first had to learn to draw the most basic geometric shapes and basic concepts of art such as foreshortening, colour theory, etc. When you try to run before walking, you fall down, similarly when you try to draw complex objects before having the basic knowledge of how to draw the basic objects, you won't have the desired result that you want of your artwork as I found out. This realisation came to me in just 2 hours of you teaching me and since then, I have learned so much more from you.

An interesting component of the class would be the group discussions. It is the time where all the artists no matter what level they are at come together to give their opinions on a picture whether it be a complex painting or a simple sketch. No matter what one's opinion was on the picture being discussed, we were all included in it. This part of the class is definitely my personal favorite as I get to share my own thoughts with others. What fascinates me is the different ways people analyse the same picture. tI just goes to show that art and anyone's artwork has no boundaries and should not be restricted. These discussions also helped me greatly in improving my communication skills and helped me feel a sense of inclusion.

My major learning from this class would definitely be resilience. The struggles were sometimes minor but sometimes were enormous. I surprised myself every single time I passed through a rough patch and I have no doubt that if it weren't for you kind and sweet words, feeling would be ten times worse. Words cannot describe the pride I have in having you as my art teacher. Firstly, I would like to appreciate your approach towards fostering a creative environment as it helped me realize that I needn't restrict myself on when it comes to approaching a particular piece of artwork. It also helped me keep an open mindset about the particular piece I was doing. Secondly, the way you encourage not just me but every other student with your sweet words allows us to strive for our definition of "perfection" in our art. Moreover the constructive feedback helps us understand where we went wrong in applying a concept into our works and allows us to prevent the same in our next works. Your unique teaching technique also ensures that every student can understand complex concepts, no matter their level. Your teaching has made art an even more truly exhilarating experience for me and has set me off on a journey of exploring my artistic self.

I am truly honoured to be a student in your class and am truly grateful towards you for the massive impact in my life. Inot only see improvement in my artwork but also other aspects of my life such having more patience. I have learned this much in just a year, I cannot wait to see what in store for me a few more years down the lane. Your guidance has been essential in my growth as an artist, and I look forward to continuing to develop my skills under your mentorship. Thank you for your commitment and for inspiring me to be a better artist and more importantly, a better person.

Yours faithfully,
Your student with an unstable internet connection
Mahima Venkatesh.