Arts Council and artist Sally Quillen team up for online art ‘challenges’

The Doña Ana Arts Council (DAAC) is teaming up with Las Cruces artist Sally Quillen to host online art challenges so art students and budding artists can continue to create and learn about art for the duration of the pandemic public health orders.

Here are Quillen’s answers to questions about the current challenge and those upcoming.

Bulletin: Tell us about the workshop.

Quillen: We are calling them “challenges” as they are not full-fledged workshops. The upcoming challenge, with six to 10 students participating, is titled “Doña Ana Mountains with Prickly Pear.” On June 5, students received by email a line drawing a completed painting of the (challenge) picture, as well as a supply list, painting instructions and tips on painting. Students are encouraged to use their imaginations and consider the instructions a suggestion. Also, we encourage them to submit more than one painting. After completing the paintings, they take a picture of them and send them to DAAC by Wednesday, June 17for a slide show. The challenge critique on Zoom is 10:30 a.m.-noon Thursday, June 18.

Bulletin: What do students learn in a challenge?

Quillen:  The purposes of these challenges are several: 1) It is important in this difficult time to stay in touch with your creative, imaginative side. It helps keep you grounded and focused and painting is wonderful escapism. 2) It is a way of keeping in touch with former students, encouraging them to keep painting and hopefully having them eventually return to regular classes. 3) There is something very special about artists getting together and talking about art. $) it is important to me to keep teaching art on some level because that is who I am.

Bulletin: What are the challenges of teaching online?

Quillen: I miss the face-to-face interaction. Online is more impersonal. I miss the chance of being able to explain something while they are painting, and fixing problems as they come upIt is also a challenge to write down complete enough instructions that students can follow.

Bulletin: Are there any advantages to teaching online?

Quillen: Of course, right now it is safer, and it is better than not teaching at all. It also offers the possibility of reaching more people at one time.

There is no charge to participate in a challenge.

For more information, including details about future DAAC/Sally Quillen online art challenges, contact Quillen at sallyqart@yahoo.com and/or Kathleen Alberts at DAAC at kathleena@daarts.org.