Blog

"We learn by  doing it. There is no other way." -By John Holt

 

  

I just finished a commission pencil drawing of two old golden retrievers.  It was a pleasure seeing the difference in each dog, both in personality and in structural features.

Drawing and painting  helps me understand and connect to my environment. I enjoy seeing the progress in my artwork, to be able to look back and to have something to show.

 If you wish to commission a drawing, please contact me through "Contact the Artist page on my website".

 Thank you for reading my blog,

 Debra Snyder Heard

    My exposure to the beautiful red camellia flowers was at a family Christmas party, Christmas Day, 30 years ago in Natchez, Mississippi, in the Annabelle home (Woodstock) of my husband’s aunt. I was young and newly married into this elegant southern family.

 

  Standing next to my mother-in-law, and her two sisters (both of my husband’s aunts, one who owned the house), I asked what kind of flowers were in the glass water bowl on the table next to us.

 

   Aunt P. told me the name of the camellias, named the brands of camellias she planted, and described her collection (using the correct scientific names). All three women went into a lengthily discussion of flowers, to which I had no knowledge of.

 

   While they were talking, I was amazed and wondered how can they know and remember the names of the different types of camellias and other plants? I wasn’t sure I could pronounce the science names they were rattling off so easily. I was trying to remember if my mother planted flowers (the answer was NO, she always did a huge vegetable garden). The three women were really nice to me and I appreciated them very much.

 

Years later after my husband and I brought our first home I planted camellias (lots of them),  learned the names of each plants, and have become a southern lady.

I also plant a garden every year too.

 

Thank You for reading my blog!

 

Debra Snyder Heard

 

 

 

What I Look For When I Pick A Art Workshop To Attend

 

Learning new skills and getting out of my comfort zone is one way to grow.

I enjoy being around other artists and meeting new people. I love being a student learning again.

 

What I Look For:

 

1. Very detailed list of supplies, brands, and sizes of materials needed for class (shows me the instructor may be very organized).

2. Explanation of what to expect each day in class.

3. I look at the art teacher’s website, especially the drawing section.

-The drawing tells a lot about that person’s artistic skills. If the person teaching the workshop’s drawing skills are not great, I will not sign on, even if it’s just a painting class.

-If I like the teachers style of painting and it is what I would like to achieve.

-Sometimes age has to do with picking between several teachers, and which one has the most experience.

4. If I think the price is reasonable.

 

What Is Better:

 

5. If there a photos posted from past workshops.

6. Map directions to click on. Suggestions of hotels to stay in that are nearby.

7. The artist has a Facebook page I can look at, and get a feel of that artist’s personality and artistic skills.

 

 

      Working in my studio                                               " Sugar " By Debra Snyder Heard

 

 

Thank you for reading my blog!

 

Debra Snyder Heard