Kids + Grown-Ups Making Art

I'm teaching a brand new class a week from Saturday at Handcraft Studio School in El Cerrito. I've taught Publishing for Creatives there several times before, but this is a complete departure: I'll be leading a workshop called Kids + Grown-Ups Making Art! Designed to be taken by adult/child pairs (I imagine many of these will be parent/kid pairs, but folks could just as easily bring their nieces, nephews, grandkids, or pals who happen to be children), this class is something I've been wanting to do for a really long time. Because we all know how great making art is for kids, but few of us realize how great making art with kids is for adults. It's not an overstatement to say I personally owe my entire return to art-making over the past four years to drawing and painting with Mabel when she was tiny (which in turn lead to things like this, and this, and this). There is nothing like watching the way children create, and then attempting to emulate at least a little bit of their freedom and looseness of line, to shake the dust off your own grown-up creative practice. So, the occasion of The Secret Art of Being a Parent being published seemed like as good a time as any to finally take the leap and make this happen. I'm nervous (I don't teach children very often!) but excited. My hope is that the kids will have fun and the adults will be inspired. If you're local, I heartily wish you and a kiddo of your acquaintance will come and join us!