Renaissance Man: Not 'moi' for a number of reasons, gender being the first one that comes to mind.
While many in society have a more or less linear career path, artists often meander from one employment opportunity to another in order to make a buck. Flexibility is the nature of the beast and we are inevitably enriched by everything we learn to do. Cross-fertilization happens, which in turn, feeds innovation.
I took a hiatus from teaching art for the last ten years. Instead, I provided employment search counselling and training services in a business environment. Some might say "whoa, that's different" but it's not really. Teaching and training are similar, the complicated part is adapting to different audiences/participants.
I remember how I felt during a former transition from teaching in a leisure community setting to an academic environment. My new students were highly motivated and excited about their futures. They loved to experiment, exchange ideas, try new things. Their enthusiasm was energizing, contagious and appreciated. I found myself continuously researching concepts, materials, and techniques to feed their ravenous appetites.
These types of teaching positions depended on enrolment, which meant that during the Fall sessions, profs worked especially hard. Winter meant a lighter load and summer, extra light. Hard to budget, which led to my decision to find a more stable revenue stream.
I redesigned my CV to emphasize the Management Training experience I had acquired as a young adult at the phone company and luckily, got the job as an Employment Search Counsellor. I still had a few weeks left in my teaching contract so my new employer agreed to have me work 4 1/2 days a week at the new job and one afternoon a week at the old one until my obligations were met.
In the mornings, I addressed a group of over forty management professionals in suits, ties, or dresses and heels, and in the afternoon, I taught a group of young, eager faces, beautified with personally designed tattoos and piercings. It was surreal.
Full circle:
Resigning from my day job last January has given me more time to create, but new opportunities have also come my way. I am again teaching art part time in a community setting and have given a couple of workshops in seniors residences. The elderly have entirely different needs and expectations.
I learn so much from the people I interact with. The seniors opened a new door in my psyche. Some at the workshop could barely hold their drawing tool (oil pastel) but they came nonetheless to participate. I had them create masks that expressed how they felt inside. To my surprise, they were a very happy bunch but then again, perhaps only cheerful seniors come to art workshops.
I intend to find their strength of character and courage if ever I find myself imprisoned by slippers and a wheelchair. Reciprocal learning at its best.
I took a hiatus from teaching art for the last ten years. Instead, I provided employment search counselling and training services in a business environment. Some might say "whoa, that's different" but it's not really. Teaching and training are similar, the complicated part is adapting to different audiences/participants.
I remember how I felt during a former transition from teaching in a leisure community setting to an academic environment. My new students were highly motivated and excited about their futures. They loved to experiment, exchange ideas, try new things. Their enthusiasm was energizing, contagious and appreciated. I found myself continuously researching concepts, materials, and techniques to feed their ravenous appetites.
These types of teaching positions depended on enrolment, which meant that during the Fall sessions, profs worked especially hard. Winter meant a lighter load and summer, extra light. Hard to budget, which led to my decision to find a more stable revenue stream.
I redesigned my CV to emphasize the Management Training experience I had acquired as a young adult at the phone company and luckily, got the job as an Employment Search Counsellor. I still had a few weeks left in my teaching contract so my new employer agreed to have me work 4 1/2 days a week at the new job and one afternoon a week at the old one until my obligations were met.
In the mornings, I addressed a group of over forty management professionals in suits, ties, or dresses and heels, and in the afternoon, I taught a group of young, eager faces, beautified with personally designed tattoos and piercings. It was surreal.
Full circle:
Resigning from my day job last January has given me more time to create, but new opportunities have also come my way. I am again teaching art part time in a community setting and have given a couple of workshops in seniors residences. The elderly have entirely different needs and expectations. I learn so much from the people I interact with. The seniors opened a new door in my psyche. Some at the workshop could barely hold their drawing tool (oil pastel) but they came nonetheless to participate. I had them create masks that expressed how they felt inside. To my surprise, they were a very happy bunch but then again, perhaps only cheerful seniors come to art workshops.
I intend to find their strength of character and courage if ever I find myself imprisoned by slippers and a wheelchair. Reciprocal learning at its best.
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