"Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see." - Mark Twain

This year I've been teaching art. I've partnered up with my great friends at Wet Paint Art in Saint Paul to teach a series of classes on field sketching. It's been almost a year since I started and it has been a great experience. I had very little expectation when this all began and was just hoping that we'd get a few people interested in taking the course. To my overwhelming surprise and joy, the classes have been full and there is a waiting list. 

I've learned a lot about what works and resonates with people who want to learn and I think it starts with putting myself in their shoes. Unlocking the mysteries of art by simplifying things and connecting people to basic skills helps them to see results can reinforce their confidence. It is very rewarding to see people learning to sketch without the pressure of trying to create, "great", art. 

The course continues to evolve as I learn and adapt to what people want to learn. I'm really looking forward to teaching more over this winter. It's been very rewarding to share what I know and to connect with people excited to learn art. 

The classes are online so anyone, anywhere can take these classes. Here is a link to learn more:  https://info.wetpaintart.com/event/the-joy-of-field-sketching-series-level-i-fundamentals-taught-by-marty-owings-multi-session/

When I'm not teaching, I'm out in the field sketching and painting from life as much as possible. In Minnesota we have four very distinct seasons so there is always a great opportunity to sketch the dynamic environment. I've been traveling locally as much as I can to the wild places and I love being in nature, it brushes the dust off of my soul. 

Ive completed two major projects this year that blend a love of art and history. The first was the story of Artist Wanda Gág the author and illustrator of Millions of Cats. A mini-documentary, I worked on the project for 6 months and interviewed many people to help tell her incredible story. Here is that story:

The second big project I completed was the story of Fort Snelling. I set out to complete a sketchbook of the fort and to learn about its history. This project began two years ago and was finally completed this November. This is the complicated and often tragic story of a fort which participated in Native American atrocities and even housed slaves. It was the home of Dred Scott and his family for a period and was the impetus for the landmark Dred Scott decision by the US Supreme Court in 1858. That decision helped spark the Civil War. Here is that mini-documentary. 

When I wasn't working on these projects I was sketching. I I'll be sharing more of the work in my sketchbooks on my Youtube channel in the months to come.  Here are a few sketches from this year.