About My Students
The process these particular students have taken to be able to create this type of work at such a young age is as follows:

Each of these students began their artistic studies with weekly one hour classes, with drawing lessons, using Still-Life set-ups, a #2 pencil, a stump and 20 pound bond paper. As they began to use their learned skills naturally, they switched to charcoal on charcoal paper.

In time, they may start painting in watercolor. Currently, these students are using Acrylic paints on canvas.

My students use a professional watercolor paint to get satisfying results.

Students decide on the subject matter for a painting themselves according to what they like. Notice that boys like mountains, boats, geese, fruit, and sometimes cars. Girls seem to choose flowers, china, landscapes, and often complicated objects.

Some students will start by using photos that they have taken or brought from home, but many will use a combination of photos to create one painting as they are learning techniques. Or, if using a Still-Life, I will set that up where it will stay until decisions are made, or the painting is completed.

The major difficulty for children is a tendency to use one color for an object. In the beginning, they will see a mountain as brown, a tree as green, and the sky as blue… only. I then teach the application of several colors at one time to the brush, and how to use and apply these to the canvas.

Some children have a small amount of fear about making a mistake. This is another issue I help them to overcome and or solve this problem.

My students are receptive and eager to learn. Some parents however, have a mistaken concept of this process. Parents can have expectations of a conveyer-belt output of paintings. For me, art lessons are about learning how to use natural creativity with learned skills, and then utilize and practice this knowledge.

About the Teacher Mary Churchill
Ms. Churchill teaches Basic and Advanced Drawing, as well as Watercolor and Acrylic painting to students from 6 years to adult.

Studio Address: 142 Main Street, suite 201, Nashua, NH 03060
Contact Mary Churchill by phone: (603) 860-5753
Contact Mary Churchill by email: maryleechu@comcast.net

Click here to learn more about Mary Churchill
Click here to view Mary Churchill's Watercolor and Acrylic Paintings