Maybe you have your master’s in fine art, or maybe you like to paint in your free time on the weekends. Either way, with today’s access to information on the internet/books/in-class, it is totally possible to be continually learning and growing as an artist.

For myself, I have always loved painting. I remember the giant easel in my kindergarten class and being so excited when I got to put on the apron and do a watercolour painting just like a real artist. I went to a Christian school and high school in a smallish town while growing up, so the art class options weren’t abundant. Then when I went to university, I studied to be an elementary teacher, not thinking that art could be a legitimate career option. I did my 4-year degree, but then decided to go back for another year so that I could study art. I took manual photography (I learned to develop my prints in a dark room-amazing process!), art history, ceramics, 3D art and design, painting, drawing, and probably some other classes I can’t remember. I definitely felt like a fish out of water at times, as there was a lot of “talking about your art” during class presentations. Public speaking was not my favourite. But I absolutely loved the experience of being immersed in art education, it felt like such a luxury and a treat.

I haven’t always placed a lot of value on the importance of art education, but I finally indulged myself during pandemic times, as it gave me something to look forward to after a long day of homeschool, homework, and chores. I thought I would take a bit of time and share my favourites. [This post is not sponsored; these are my own personal opinions.]

If you are a lover of all things floral, texture, mixed media, and embroidery, then Wendy Brightbill is your girl! She has a whole lot of classes on a variety of topics, and she makes such beautiful art!

I took an illustration course by a Dutch artist, Sarah van Dongen, and it was truly delightful. I have always loved the world of children’s book illustration, and this class was such a fun peek into the illustration process.

Jeanne Oliver has a lovely platform with a wide array of classes from many artists on a variety of topics. She even offers snippets of some of the classes as a preview in her free classes tab. I have watched nearly all of the free classes and have purchased a few mini classes and a few full-sized classes and have enjoyed them all. Stephanie Lee is one of my favourites on the platform.

I signed up for this year’s Art Summit with Kellee Wynne Studios, and it was such a great lineup of artists sharing so many cool techniques. Kellee also includes a lot of her colour mixing and basics courses with the Summit as well. I will definitely be watching a lot of those videos over again.

There are some courses that I have not currently signed up for but would love to in the future. Wendy Solganik’s Collage Fodder School looks like it would be right up my alley. She is the inspiration behind the handmade art journals I shared. I would also love to sign up for a year of Wanderlust with Kasia Avery from Everything Art. She has an amazing platform with her husband, and they truly do excellent work.

If you have been on the fence about taking an art class, this is me saying go for it!