Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Teaching Art in Malawi

Freelance illustrator Jessica Casner sent me this inspiring email:

"My name is Jessica Casner, and I recently traveled to Malawi for two months to teach the process of storyboarding and illustration to a wonderful group of students. My professor, Ron Mazellan, said that you would be encouraged to know that I left "Imaginative Realism" and "Color and Light" with the teachers due to the fact that their library had insufficient examples on understanding art and the process of its making."
 
"The Chichewa word for car is "gallimoto", and needless to say there were many shrieks of delight as they understood that some "gallimotos" could fly. Please know that the teachers and students are overjoyed to be able to learn even after I have left, and that you have given them hope and inspiration to create beyond our understanding."

Thanks, Jessica! I have a special feeling for your gift because my own interest in becoming an artist came from art instruction books I found when I was young. 

If anyone else would like to share my books in a special teaching setting, or with their local community center, teen hangout, retirement home, or hobby group, you can order directly from me, and I would be happy to sign it specially for your group.  
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2 comments:

Benjamin said...

Fascinating.
I have both books, and have enjoyed looking through them for tips and tricks, (particularly Color and Light.)

I also recently got Alla Prima by Schmid. Very helpful book.

-Benjamin

Carol Scown-Raynal said...

How wonderful books are and most of all paper books and not electronic books. Those books you can feel in your hands and that you can offer to people in the need in countries which haven't electricity or kindle readers. And after all the books you have learnt from James, you make your own books which are wonderful and add a stone to the knowledge for the pleasure of everyone.