Artwork by Fran Hines

Do You Believe in New Beginnings?

I was 9 when I first started painting with my grandmother. She was quite a talented landscape artist, showing her in work in several studios. I looked forward to every summer when I would spend a week with her learning to paint, sew and bake. I had developed that yearning to paint, and paint better, as I continued to paint in my spare time over the next fifty years during my careers as a nurse and a mental health therapist.I even taught my children how to paint and they continue to paint today.

After retiring, I have had much more time and energy for painting. I draw and paint most days now and I have become very fond of portrait painting. In the last four years I have completed twelve paintings like the Vermeer copy I have attached, that are of that level and quality.

The problem is that I have never had any formal instruction as I was so busy with my career in the medical field. I continue to paint using the same techniques and skill level I have used for all these years.I need the skills and drawing techniques, having to shading, value, perspective etc. that this course offers. The Drawing Academy’s courses sound perfect based on the descriptions and the students’ reviews. The instructors sound awesome!

Art has never been more important in my life as it has been in my retirement. I draw or paint most days now. It has opened another whole world of learning for me. I hope that by taking the course I will learn how to draw from real life instead of relying on the photos or other painter’s works for me to copy. The course would also help to further encourage my confidence and ability to be a better painter. I would hope that people vote for me so I can improve and further develop my technique and interest in drawing.