On-line Class with Tamara Laporte (AKA Tam)

I found Tamara Laporte's web-site, Willowing and Friends, from a posting on Facebook. Tam is a mixed media artist with lots of personality and a BIG Heart. This site and its sister site Willowing.org are filled with a variety of groups (such as, a support group, a critique group, an art challenge group, an art journal group, etc.), interviews, classes she offers, links to other mixed media artists, and more. You can find pictures of her student's work there and free videos.

I signed up for her free Art, Heart, and Healing course. Over 1200 have enrolled in this course. It was first offered in October of 2010. However, it is still available. I started in December. Each of the four classes consists of two 1-hour videos and two pdf files with written instructions. The videos primarily consist of watching Tam create the project for the week. The camera is pointed at what she is doing and not at her. You can either watch the videos on-line or download them to your computer.

I downloaded lesson 1's videos, so I could watch her, stopped (hit the pause button) the video, and performed the step she just demonstrated. When I was done I had drawn and shaded in a face. This is about the third face I have ever drawn and the first I shaded. She uses watercolor crayons and pencils. I was amazed. It was easily and I had fun doing it.

After doing the face, we worked on the background. In addition to the art lesson, a healing exercise was incorporated into the artwork. I am always too serious; consequently, the message I created for myself was "It is okay to be playful!"

I know, I know, I need to work on a happier look! I have already started.

To continue my goal of being more playful, I have enrolled in her Magical Mystical Makings course where we will create goddess, angels, fairies, mermaids, and unicorns. This course begins on January 17, 2011. Go to her site, click on the class, and view a video advertising it. In her courses, you can upload your work for her to suggest ways for improvement. She uses Photoshop to show you what you can do to improve your work. If you want to give yourself a creativity present, may I suggest you consider enrolling in this course.