old student, new student....

Over the years, I have taught decorative painting to hundreds of people, probably even thousands now. Some paint for leisure, some with a purpose to further develop themselves to teach in this line and some learned to paint merely as a business of selling the painted items. Whatever the intentions are, I am happy that I have fulfilled my job and mission to impart knowledge and skills in this area to others, which benefit them in one way or another.

I am concerned about imparting the correct technique of painting, usage of proper materials and tools, managing best colour combinations and upgrading one's skill.

Now and then, I will have new students, some learning from scratch while others have knowledge and skills from other teachers. But it always feels good that old students will come again and again.

For instance, this morning, my long lost student, Tengku Norashikin, came for an upgrading class on roses! Shikin who now teaches from her home and commissioned to paint for customers was my first batch of students way back in 2003. She took 2 years to learn roses alone. In between she picks up on different flora and other subjects too. She also learned from my other fellow artists. After a couple of years she comes back to me for roses which I have different techniques and style from the ones she learned earlier.

Joining her this morning is Kamaliah (Kay), a considerably new student who religiously comes to my classes every Sunday or even on my Thursday class when she is on leave from office work. This morning Kay continued her painting on cloth pieces for her curtain. She is currently into teacups and teapots. She completed a couple of projects with me, amongst them is a plaque with china on lacey shelves.

There are many other stories of students to tell. That would be another chapter.

Keep on painting with a smile....!