Lea took this photo of my embellishments table setup at the License to Create Workshop.
I learned quite a few things during my first teaching experience that I'd do a bit differently next time. And I realized that there are some things I'm going to keep on doing too. Here's what I learned so far on this adventure...
- Expense and Shipping. When I created my first workshops, I was just thinking about what would be fun for students to make and for me to teach. In the future when I create a project, I have to think more about the expense and supplies. I shipped four large, heavy boxes halfway across the country and then back. Not a cheap move. That means I either need to charge a kit fee if I'm bringing most of the stuff OR I need to be more thoughtful about making the projects with non-specialized items in the first place so that students can bring the supplies.
- The Vendor Table. Vendor marketplaces are great for exposure, but I'll probably limit having a vendor table to maybe just Arfest. The vendor table means more shipping charges. And an upside/downside is that I don't really get to shop the market. Upside is that I don't spend money, but downside is that I don't really go around looking at what everyone else is up to.
- Speaking of vendor tables though, I did ok with sales on vendor marketplace night, but I really needed to have some more mid-range items in the $25-$50 range.
- Trades. I have a whole post coming up about the Artfest trades which were spectacular this year. BUT, I'll probably have to mass produce my trades next year for events where I teach. I saw that a lot of the teachers took that route. I love the handmade trades, but it was seriously a tight squeeze to fit them into the schedule and the suitcase this time. In making this art thing a business, I would probably have been better off focusing on making vendor table items. (I have to admit that not having handmade trades makes me sad, but I need to learn that I'll have to make trade offs to make this business work.)
- Be CONFIDENT! As someone who is coming from art as a long time hobby to art as a business, I tend to "undersell" my artistic abilities. (Have you heard the words "Oh, it's just this thing that I do" coming out of your mouth? If so, you're underselling too!) I don't want to be big headed about it, but I need to teach what I know without fear. (Thank you, Diana and Inez!!!)
- Find time to rest and play. Artfest is a pretty exhausting experience as a student and as a teacher. I'll try to find a few minutes to really rest my mind and to enjoy the experience in the future.
- Absorb the moment. I would call my first art workshop teaching experience a success. What I wanted more than anything was for my students to take my project and teaching and to make the project their own. And they did! I don't think every event will be quite as busy as Artfest was for me, but I want to be mindful to absorb the moments as they happen and to try to reflect on the experience day by day instead of running from event to event and storing it all up to think about at the end.
And finally...
- BE BRAVE! Teesha and Tracy mentioned being brave several times throughout the Artfest event. I can't even tell you how much this resonates with me. I wanted to teach, so I set aside my fears, worked hard, and reached out for it. I still have a head swirling with fears, but I'm going to keep pushing them out of the way and reaching for the next brave thing. I hope you'll do the same!
P.S. If you have any thoughts/experience to share, I'd love to hear!!
In the morning, we had to pack up to go. We were all pretty exhausted and barely out of our pajamas, but we took this funny picture before we left. The wind was blowing HARD, and we managed to be leaving at a time when no one else was out and about. We could have taken more photos, but we decided to just go with the funny original.
This is the event space... soon to be filled up with a whole crowd of folks who watched us make our pieces.
This is me cutting the legs off of the spider. I should have figured out how to use the whole thing somehow, but once I started cutting, I couldn't be stopped.
Here's me with my end piece. I was just happy to have something to show at the end. I look more relaxed here than I felt, that's for sure!
And here's my table with me behind it. Seriously, I swear my boobs aren't that big in real life... it was the lighting. (Hi Mom! - I can see you shaking your head at me right now. We all know I get this say anything gene from Dad, so don't worry... no one will blame you.) :) 
I was so blessed to have Jennifer and Inez as a part of my teaching journey. Thank you both! 
Susan Morris told me almost as soon as I met her that she wasn't the artist in the family (she's sisters with Diana Frey above), but I beg to differ! Susan created a witch inspired piece with witch's boots and all. She was planning to add a quote and more embellishments, so... Susan, I hope you'll send me a final picture so I can post it! 
Allow me to introduce you to the sweet, sweet Gail Cowan. Gail came to the class unsure what she was going to create, but in the end, she made the most adorable piece with a house so sweet that I just wanted to live in it. (Can you see that precious birdie on top of the tree???) Gail is studying graphic design, and if you ask me (she let me peek at her amazing journal), she could be teaching all of us soon! Gail was still planning to embellish her piece further, so...Gail, please send me a final pic too!!! 
Kim Owen pulled together a piece that I'm completely crushing on. She was working on a dog topper for her piece, but when it wasn't working the way she wanted to, she completed her box with some cooler-than-cool rusty metal pieces. I really loved how she made it her own! 
This is Shelley Rozen, and her really fun and colorful piece! She pushed the boundaries with the plastercloth and wire and fashioned the adorable green glasses for her heart. The paint color on the heart was a cool iridescent that you can't really see in the pic, but is so beautiful in person. Shelley - you'll have to send me the awesome inspiration quote that you're adding (and that I keep forgetting) and pics of the final piece! 
Nola Unger created a soulful piece centered around the Kathmandu license plates that she brought to class. (She even gave me one! Thank you, Nola!) It was so much fun to watch how her mountain and prayer flags came together on the top. She really seemed to be having a great time with embellishing and pulling together her meaningful piece. You're an awesome student, Nola!
And last, but certainly not least, this is Julie Primozich and her stylish piece. Julie was working on a really ambitious mermaid topper (which I still want to see finished, Julie!) but decided to take the piece in a different direction with fun embellishments. OH, and in class, there was a funny moment when my students showed me that magnets stick to license plates. I'm going to be sure to let my future students know about this "A-HA!" (why didn't I think of that) moment. I love Julie's piece and hope she'll send a final picture for me to post! 
