My best student and good friend Nick Enevoldsen wrote me today telling me he will be a teacher next semester at the Florence Academy in Italy.
Needless to say I am so proud of what he has done and the level he has risen to artistically. He has traveled great distances like myself to collect some great drawing lessons and art instruction. I’m excited for all of the future success Nick will experience from all of his combined skill and talent. He deserves it, he really took a chance, earned his chops and stuck to it.
I remember the first day he walked into my class. He was polite and ready to work, and most of all ready to absorb the art instruction like a sponge. The best part about teaching someone like Nick is that they take a simple idea that you convey to them, and they run it up and down the field, until it’s theirs. Everything I tout him he worked on until it was his. He owns that now because he actually took action on it. I think this single quality makes for a good teacher, someone who talks the talk and walks the walk.
Because I’ve taken different drawing lessons and art instruction courses I like to bounce one group’s ideas against another’s.
Each principle battles it out on the canvas until the winner is left standing, with its back towards light. Risen like a Phoenix out of the ashes.
Owning an idea means you try it out for yourself, notice what works and what doesn’t. Then taking it even further than you expected to add a new element to it that is all your own. Only then will you know what works best for you as an individual. You can imagine after doing something like that for a few core principles how much empowered and confident you’d become… like my friend Nick. He is a true champion in my eyes. Great job and my cheers to him.
Keep creating.
Evan
Nick’s work above, is a shining example of someone who takes learning to draw
and transforms it into a dream and passion.
