Painted Book Covers

I always like to ask my students why they took my class.

I want to know what they hope to learn so that I can guide them and hopefully satisfy the reason the took the class.  My Painted Book Cover class was held the last morning of Quiltfest and to my surprise many of the women were very honest in their answers as to why they were there. . . 

". . .my friend was taking a class this morning and I had to find something to do. . ."

". . .It was a half day class. . ."

Hahaha!  

Not the answers I was expecting but I'm so glad they were honest with me.

 Despite these reasons everyone left with a smile on their faces.

(Gloria, how did I miss photographing your final painting?  If you are reading this please send me a photo to include on my blog!)

 Creativity has a way of doing that to a person.

While painting this student asked if I would feel like a failure as a teacher if one of my student's projects were ugly. 

 I laughed because I really didn't think her project was ugly at all.

Projects go through stages and sometimes just need one more thing to make them just right.

I think she surprised herself.

She seemed very happy with the finished product.

This student wasn't pleased with her color selection at first . . . 

. . .but by adding the red she really made it work.

A few of the students said they had tole painted many years ago and thanks to this class they would dig out those supplies again.

It's difficult to see in this photo but I love how she used a stencil and then highlighted some of the flowers by tracing around them with a marker.

A very modern looking book cover.

I loved this next student's creativity.

She really inspired me.

She painted a sky and a field and then found images within the clouds as if she were laying in the field on summer day and then outlined those images with marker.  

I suggested she include a person laying in the field and she finally found a man laying in the field that she outlined.  Unfortunately I didn't get a photo of the finished project with the man in the field.  I think this would make an awesome painted quilt.  So many wonderful possibilities.

There are so many talented people out there just waiting to find a way to unleash their creativity.  I was grateful I had the opportunity to help some on their way.