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The Guardian: Zoom with a view: how lockdown art classes are booming online

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May

The Guardian: Zoom with a view: how lockdown art classes are booming online

Original article posted on The Guardian on May 14, 2020.

Zoom with a view: how lockdown art classes are booming online

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Address: 145 W 96th St #1b, New York, NY, 10025
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Location: The Art Studio NY

Quarantine has led to a rise in those with and without artistic experience heading online for a range of immersive classes

On 30 March, Big Bang Theory star Jim Parsons posted a selfie on Instagram holding up a painting of two vases – which he made himself.

In the caption, Parsons told his followers that he created the artwork with the help of an online art class. “They’re doing live classes via zoom and, quit to my delight, I was not only able to figure out how to use zoom, but I also painted this in the process!” he wrote. “No museums are asking to display my first still life painting, but I feel just a little bit more peaceful from the process … and I got to see real life other people who were also taking the class – a real gift right now!”

Parsons is not alone. Thousands of us have been turning to Zoom, the video conferencing platform, to get a creative workout. From life drawing art classes to small-town museums, pandemic cartoons and upcycled sculptures, it seems to be the perfect answer for cooped-up creativity in our current quarantine.

Parsons took his class with Art Studio NY, which hosts painting classes, from watercolors, to oil, acrylic and a “fear-free drawing 101”. The school’s virtual art classes draw the likes of international students (one artist recently tuned in from France). “It’s really amazing to see people coming together from every corner of the earth to make art together,” wrote one of the teachers on Instagram. “In uncertain times like these, this is the least we can do to help keep our spirits alive and our feelings united.”

May

CNBC: How arts and crafts can help to keep the mind active during the coronavirus lockdown

Original Article can be found at CNBC. Posted on April 14, 2020.

valentinrussanov/Getty

Anxious thoughts can be more difficult to escape in sustained isolation, such as the widespread lockdown measures due to the coronavirus pandemic, but arts and crafts have been shown to help distract from these feelings.

The coronavirus has so far infected more than 1.9 million people worldwide, with 119,686 deaths, according to latest figures from Johns Hopkins University.

The scale of pandemic and its impact on billions of people, in limiting physical contact with others, has meant that many are looking for ways to distract themselves while stuck inside their own homes.

Clinical neuropsychologist Katie Carey Levisay, who runs a private practice in Denver, Colorado, explained that crafting can help as it requires focused attention and forces us to be completely immersed in the moment.

“We’ve all experienced that phenomenon when we completely lose track of time and our awareness of what’s going on around us diminishes,” she told CNBC.

This is what is known as “flow,” Carey Levisay said, a term popularized by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in the 1970s.

Being engrossed in a creative project temporarily allows us to stop worrying about the future or dwell on the past.

Creating something for ourselves and others also helps our sense of self-efficacy, or the belief in our own abilities, Carey Levisay said.

Using time purposefully has also been linked to lower depressive symptoms, she added.

“The rewarding experience of creating, sharing, and using our time well all stimulate the reward centers in the brain to release ‘feel good’ neurotransmitters (dopamine) and our endogenous opioids (endorphins),” she said.

Crafting can also keep the brain effectively stimulated because, in many cases, it combines the learning and perfecting of new skills with those that have already been mastered, Carey Levisay explained.

These activities also use many different parts of the brain, or require “whole brain recruitment.” For example, quilting requires visuospatial processing, which is the ability to perceive, analyze and transform images, while knitting requires working memory and math.

She said it is also unique to other cognitive enhancing programs, such as the memory enhancement present with computer games, because it is a blend of “intellectually stimulating” and “rewarding/relaxing” activity.

Online classes

Most in-person arts and crafts classes have been cancelled as a result of lockdown measures, requiring the closure of many non-essential businesses in order to limit the further spread of the virus.

New York-based school The Art Studio is hosting online classes for adults, teens and children, as well as offering online art parties for children’s birthdays.

Adult online classes include oil and watercolor painting for beginners, as well as “fear-free drawing 101.”

U.K.-based business Sew Confident is holding “Virtual Sewcials,” in addition to online classes teaching people how to make their own dress or jumpsuit via Zoom.

Marvel illustrator Will Sliney is also giving live classes on YouTube to teach children how to draw comic book characters.

May

5 Tips to Keep Kids Safe While at Home

Online Art classes for kids — Student at The Art Studio NY participating in an online art class from home.

There is nothing like a special and memorable moment watching your kids play at home. The comfort of our homes has a huge impact on our kids’ upbringing. Therefore, it’s essential to nurture a loving and safe home that children are comfortable with.

Unfortunately, parents have responsibilities that need their time away from their homes. Although leaving their kids with the nanny seems like a convenient option, it’s still not an assurance that your kids are safe at all times.

To give parents peace of mind, we’ve compiled five tips to keep your children safe while playing at home – with or without your presence.

Adult Supervision

This might be an obvious tip but adult supervision is of utmost importance. Yes, we understand that parents can be busy juggling kids’ supervision and household chores. But there have been a lot of incidents wherein a child’s safety was harmed due to irresponsibility from the parents.

“Quality care begins with good supervision.” A safe environment for kids has a lot to do with shaping their character. Try to do your household chores with your kids at close proximity.

Hidden Camera

Let’s go the traditional way by setting up a spy camera in the area where your kids frequently play. This is extremely useful especially when parents are always out of the house. Although some might trust the nanny a hundred percent, you still want to keep watchful eyes on your loved ones.

Also, hidden cameras now come with mobile applications that allow you to view the footage in real-time. This is great when you want to randomly check on what your kids are doing from time to time.

Child-Friendly Area

Set up a dedicated playroom for your kids. This should be a child-friendly area that is safe for all your children. For instance, ensure that you keep away choking hazards like small pieces of their toys. Choking is one of the leading causes of death or injury among children. Therefore, make sure you keep them away from stairs, sharp objects, small items, or any accident-prone areas or materials.

Educational Toys

Although kids might opt for superficial toys like dolls and toy cars, there’s nothing like excellent education toys that can help hone your kids’ intelligence and personality. All it takes is some getting used to.

Start them young and introduce them to art. Let them participate in online art classes when they’re younger. If you have to buy them toys, purchase those with value and toys that can develop their cognitive and creative skills.

Basic First Aid

Minor and major accidents are sometimes inevitable. As parents, it’s vital that we know how to respond immediately when the situation calls for it. That being said, enroll in basic safety and first aid classes that can possibly save your kids from future accidents. For example, the Heimlich maneuver is a very easy and crucial technique parents should learn to save a choking kid.

Additionally, prepare basic medications and tools just in case something unfortunate happens to your children.

Final Words

Prevention is better than cure, they say. That’s why we need to keep an eye on our children while they’re playing at all times. Although these tips are simple, these could draw the line between the life and death of your kids.

Author Bio:

Leanne Brooks is a passionate blogger and informative content writer who writes about home improvement, travel, and technology. She is currently working with EyeSpySupply, which offers a wide range of surveillance equipment, including spy camera, nanny cams, GPS trackers, voice-activated audio recorders and more.

Apr

I’M AFRAID: 3 Ways to Create Inner-CALM

Dear TASNY Friends,

If the unknown of Coronavirus is making you feel afraid, YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Creativity is a spiritual practice that boosts your mood, relieves your anxiety, and leaves you feeling soothed during uncertain times. Practice these 3 EASY tools to ease your stress as we get through this together.

1. CREATE PERSPECTIVE: When you change how you see things, what you see changes. When you have fear-based thoughts that trigger anxiety, ask yourself, “What new way can I see this threat?” With creative problem solving, you transform your perspective. No face masks available? I wear fun scarfs, take selfies, and I share my “daily look” with loved ones to uplift us all.

2. CREATE TIME FOR GROWTH: During this challenging time, what do you miss the most in your life? What do you NOT miss at all? Make an honest list and reflect on it. How can you create change that will serve your best self when life “goes back to normal”? Start now. Getting real with yourself is grounding.

3. CREATE CONNECTION: We are social beings, we need each other. Join a structured online activity and put it in your schedule. I am grateful that during this dizzying time, people worldwide share that our online art classes are soothing, healing, and providing a community that feels like home.

Wishing you safety and health,

Rebecca

Feb

Student Spotlight: Michele Bontempo

Going to The Art Studio NY was the best and continues to be the best gift I have ever given myself.

When did you start taking art classes at The Art Studio NY, and why did you begin to take classes (what was going on in your life at the time)?

I began with The Art Studio NY in September 2015. I was a fashion photo art director in print retail advertising. By 2015 and earlier print advertising was not the way anymore. More retailers chose web advertising and my creative services were no longer necessary.

I began designing photo storybooks. They were albums that contained stories the client would supply in their own words. They involved being given their photos that needed to be edited, the story, then design and produce as a hard covered book. Very time consuming. It was a great idea and people loved them. However, they were not willing to pay the price.

What class/e did you take, and what classes are you currently taking?

I decided to sign up for art classes. I never had fine art training. Never picked up a brush or oil paint. I was really, really scared and at times, frozen.

My first class was Mixed-Media and I did it for about a year and a half. Then I combined Mixed-Media with a landscape, and abstracts.

By around 2017 I switched to “water based oils” These are oil paint that has been manipulated to clean up with water. The paint acts and feels like oil without the toxics. I started off with a landscape then I began painting people. Now I am taking Intermediate Oil Painting classes with Rebecca and I love it.

What makes your experience at The Art Studio NY unique and memorable?

Going to The Art Studio NY was the best and continues to be the best gift I have ever given myself. Everyone who works there is great. They are friendly and make me feel like I belong. In the classes, the students are welcoming and very supportive of one another.

What is something you have achieved because of your art classes that you never thought you could?

I can paint well.

What are you most proud of when it comes to your artistic journey?

That I worked very hard and I had the ability to listen to my instructors. If I didn’t understand I was not ashamed to ask. The instructors are patient, tolerant and kind.

What fears have you overcome, on and off the canvas, since starting to paint?

ON THE CANVAS: Being afraid that I would not be able to achieve what I chose to paint at the time.

OFF THE CANVAS: Constantly hoping that my eyes, brain and hands would work as a team.

How have your art classes allowed you to relax and relieve stress?

It is the opposite with me. First, I stress and once I have succeeded, I can relax.

How have your art classes changed your life, either in your art or your everyday life?

I see myself as a different person now. I am very proud that I took such a huge chance for me and it worked.

What advice would you tell a total beginner who feels afraid of taking an art class or they feel they “have no talent”?

I would say that if you think about taking and art class, it is a sign. If you have no talent then you would not have thought to take an art class.

When I was 13 years old I had an opportunity to apply to Art and Design High School and I did. A while later I received a letter telling me that I need to come and take a test to get in.

I put together a portfolio of work that was required in the letter I received.

My Dad took me down and on the Subway I told him I was scared. He said “of course you are scared, that’s normal. But remember, just try your best. And besides, the other kids are scared too.

Jan

JOIN THE 10-MINUTE DAILY CHALLENGE (it’s free!)

How to Create A Life You Love

CHANGE YOUR LIFE. NO MORE EXCUSES.

I’ve officially begun my own 10-minute a day challenge, and I invite YOU to join me.

What nurtures you, fulfills you, what’s that “thing” you want more of but you “don’t have time”?

The things that make me happy, make me come alive- meditation, painting, exercise, nature, deep connection to others- I push them aside regularly for other “more important” tasks. And yet, what could be more important than our own happiness, health and fulfillment?

Starting my days from now on, I’m creating the time for what matters. And it won’t even take much! Creating just 10 minutes, day after day after day, are baby steps… that combined, equal BIG leaps.

10 minutes daily during:

1 week= 1 hour 10 minutes

1 month= 5 hours

1 year= 60 hours

5 years= 304 hours= 1 week and 6 days!

You have 10 minutes. I have 10 minutes. NO MORE EXCUSES.

When our lives end, no one will say, “Damn, why didn’t I work more?” And yet, if life ended tomorrow, what would you wish YOU had made more time for?

Create time for what makes you come ALIVE in these easy steps:

Choose one daily practice that inspires you, fulfills you, and makes you the “you” that you want to be.
Choose a time daily when you’ll spend 10 minutes engaging in this activity uninterrupted.
Add it to your calendar. Daily, for 30 days.

Rebecca Schweiger

Dec

CREATE Big 2020 Dreams: The Time is Now

What do you WANT in your life? I mean, reeeeaaaallllly want. In a dig-down-deep-in-your-soul-kind-of-want. Now is the perfect time to get quiet, take a pause, and ask yourself important life questions as the 2019 cycle ends and 2020 soon begins.

My questions include the following. What questions will YOU ask yourself? Share them with us on FACEBOOK. We’re in this together!

*What makes me happy, and how will I build more of my life around what feeds my soul?

*What stops (sabotages) me from doing more of what I love, and when/how will I address this roadblock, in action?

*My health is my wealth. What will I do to enhance my health and well-being?

*What angers and resentments (aka poison) can I let go of, and how?

*When I get very quiet, what does my inner-voice say, and what do I need to do to listen and act on it daily?

My beloved best friend and I experience and talk a lot about a space we refer to as “beyond”. This “beyond space” is a reality that we find ourselves in together often, and yet often, we couldn’t have dreamt it up even if we tried. The magic and wonder of life’s grandest possibilities are available to you if you surrender and open yourself to a bigger reality. When you make space for more goodness, it will rain upon you.

In the next days ahead, I’m going to spend time nurturing the seeds of my grandest dreams. I hope you will, too. Plant those seeds. Water them, and they’re sure to grow.

Our hundreds of weekly students at The Art Studio NY rave that our inspiring art classes nourish their spirits, enhance their wellbeing, provide stress relief, help to achieve goals and dreams “beyond”, and in a nutshell…. it’s the best part of their week. We hope to nurture YOU through art this coming year.

Wishing you a meaningful and creative 2020! May you make the time to nurture your grandest dreams.
Rebecca & The Art Studio NY Family

Dec

The Art Studio NY Featured on E

E! Online

Oct

Student Spotlight: Annette Back

“I was working, had 3 little kids and a household to run. I wasn’t doing anything for my enjoyment or self-fulfillment. I needed more free creative time. The decision to join the art class changed my life!” – Annette Back

When and why did you start taking art classes at The Art Studio NY?

I started taking classes in the fall of 2014. At the time, I was working, had 3 little kids and a household to run. I wasn’t doing anything for my enjoyment or self-fulfillment.

Some friends of mine took me to a paint party at The Art Studio NY for the evening. That night I had a big AHA moment. Since graduating from School of Visual Arts, I had not painted – I used my creativity only for my clients, and that is not the same as expressing yourself freely. I needed some more of that free creative time. The decision to join the class changed my life!

What advice would you tell a total beginner who feels afraid of taking an art class or they feel they “have no talent”?

Go for it. Just try it. Most of the time, if you have the urge to paint, you have the talent within you. It’s just not tapped.

What makes your experience at The Art Studio NY unique and memorable?

I take a weekly class “Dare to Paint: Intermediate Oil Painting” on Wednesdays with instructor/Founder Rebecca Schweiger. The atmosphere, the teacher and the comradely of the students is what makes my art class experience unique and memorable. We all love to be there and help each other. It is inspiring to see the progress and completion of each others work. The feedback is invaluable. I have made friends for life.

What is something you have achieved because of your art classes that you never thought you could?

I have achieved the confidence to go out into the art world and exhibit my work confidently.

What are you most proud of when it comes to your artistic journey?

I have learned to paint freely, experiment, and recognize a happy accident. Also, I am currently building a body of work.

What fears have you overcome, on and off the canvas, since starting to paint?

I have overcome the fear of “doing something wrong” or “messing it up” on canvas.

How have your art classes allowed you to relax and relieve stress?

There is nothing like following your inner voice to create. I love it. I now paint at home as well.

How have your art classes changed your life, either in your art or your everyday life?

Yes, I am now exhibiting, selling, working at home as well as in the studio. I want to paint more now.

To learn more about Annette’s artwork, please visit her website at :
annettebackfineart.com

Sep

Watercolor Painting in Nature

If you’re like me, you may be feeling a certain stress as summer is replaced with “fall takeover”. Amidst the pressures of daily life, we all need a healthy escape. My favorite way to recenter myself is by spending time in the woods. I could sit silently for hours, just simply “being”, listening to the leaves dance in the wind, watching time pass. In nature, I love to watercolor painting to express what I see and feel, forgetting everything, while letting my paintbrush do all of the talking.

Students at The Art Studio NY always say how meditative and cathartic painting is. I fully agree.

I recently explored the #blueridgeparkway and #blueridgemountains and now that I’m back in Manhattan, when I close my eyes, I still see the expansive layers of blue mountains for as far as the eye can see.

The journey with a paintbrush allows me to visit the woods anytime I want. Through watercolor painting, I re-experience the quiet of nature and visit that same escape in my mind, imagination and through painting, without having traveled a mile.

What and where is your healthy escape that brings you peace in the midst of life’s hustle and bustle? Entering our 15th year at The Art Studio NY, we are grateful to offer nearly 100 weekly escapes in the form of adult art classes, teen art classes and kids art classes. We invite you to our art studio this fall to discover your home away from home, where you can escape, recenter, and reconnect with the fulfilling and meaningful self-expression you’re needing and longing for.

Rebecca

Feb

How To Create A Life You Love

I’m Sick Of Your Bullsh*t

You may find a blank white canvas scary, intimidating. You’re not alone. I once taught a private painting lesson to a woman in her 50’s; She was so overwhelmed with terror that she needed to pause and take a Xanax. Of course it wasn’t painting she was afraid of. Rather, her old self-doubting, “I’m not good enough” narrative reared its fangs.

She could have given up, we all know how convincing fear can be. Instead, she chose courage and chose to confront her own bullsh*t. In time, her fear was replaced with confidence and strength. She created meaningful artwork that inspired her to also make new empowering life choices “off the canvas.”

@elizabeth_gilbert_writer posted this stitching by artist @badasscrossstitch, and my “TRUTH!” bell went off. On the other side of your fear and bullsh*t is freedom. Power. Transformation. PERIOD.

The blank canvas has become my spiritual teacher, always asking (telling) me to face myself full-on. The REAL blank canvas, of course, is facing every day anew. Waking up, seeing the day as the ultimate blank slate. Pregnant with possibility.

Lately, I’ve been making every attempt to apply in my life what I do freely on the canvas: Experiment with new life choices, dare to face and move towards that which scares me. Embrace and play with the unknown. Surrender. Let go of control. Be fully present. Accept that life is often different than what I expected. Make space for a life that is colorful and messy and rich and layered. See that there are no such thing as mistakes, and that I can turn errors into learning and beauty. Realize that I am carving my own life path and it’s not going to look like anyone else’s life, and that’s something to celebrate rather than be ashamed of.

What if everyday, you woke up, clicked OFF your autopilot switch, and clicked ON your self-awareness, your choices, your button of “I’m sick of my own bullsh*t, today is the day I’m going to stop worrying or replaying _________________ (insert your own bullsh*t here), and instead, CREATE and lead with my truth, authenticity and courage.”

What would your tomorrow look like if that’s how you started your day? You’re that powerful, you know.

Love is a Verb: Start With Yourself

Everyone wants to feel loved, heard, seen and understood. From a young age, every person turns to immediate family for this ongoing daily dose of care. If you were lucky, love flowed steadily and was generously given to you by others.

As you grew into an adult, even in the best of family upbringings, you likely discovered ways that you needed and longed to be loved yet did not ever receive. Shadows and wounds crept up and in when you realized that, at times, your emotional needs didn’t feel important. Or, maybe you were made to feel invisible now and then. Whatever your wound looks like, likely, a parental figure didn’t give you the love you fully needed to thrive.

Hurts and disappointments were tucked away, only to be discovered years later as you became an adult. Even if your parents were Mother Theresa and Ghandi, they, too, are imperfect, and likely couldn’t have given you every ounce of love you needed and deserved.

As an adult, you have the opportunity to create your “love committee”. Love is not only a feeling, love is a verb. It is expression in action. While another human is likely incapable of meeting EVERY single one of your needs, the one person who IS available for that level of active love is your own self.

How do you speak to yourself when you make a mistake? Are you forgiving and understanding, or do you call yourself “stupid” with frustration? How do you treat yourself in times of failure? Do you speak to yourself like a loving parent would to their young child, or do you criticize yourself and engage in self beat-up? Do you look at yourself in the mirror and see your beauty or criticize your imperfections, wishing for a different reflection in return? Do you give space to nurture your dreams, or do you belittle your heart’s desires?

Self-love is possibly one of the most transformative spiritual practices you can create in your life. It starts with you taking a stand with and for yourself. This daily practice leads you to become your biggest fan, most reliable friend and greatest hero.

As an exercise, look at yourself in the mirror for just two minutes every day. Tell yourself, out loud, the things you wish you had heard as a child, but didn’t. “I’m here with you. I love you. I see you. Let me care for you. You’ve got this. You are deserving. Your needs matter. You are so, so beautiful.”

Speak to yourself in a way that fills you with care. It may feel awkward at first (anything new feels awkward or scary, so don’t let that be an excuse), but just like falling in love with another person takes time, give yourself time to nurture a love story that will carry you through for the rest of your life. Love is a verb, and giving love to yourself is perhaps the most impactful and sustaining love you’ll ever know.

#1 Rated Art Classes in New York City!

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Zoom with a view: how lockdown art classes are booming online

Online classes

Going to The Art Studio NY was the best and continues to be the best gift I have ever given myself.

What do you WANT in your life? I mean, reeeeaaaallllly want. In a dig-down-deep-in-your-soul-kind-of-want. Now is the perfect time to get quiet, take a pause, and ask yourself important life questions as the 2019 cycle ends and 2020 soon begins.

My questions include the following. What questions will YOU ask yourself? Share them with us on FACEBOOK. We’re in this together!

*What makes me happy, and how will I build more of my life around what feeds my soul?

*What stops (sabotages) me from doing more of what I love, and when/how will I address this roadblock, in action?

*My health is my wealth. What will I do to enhance my health and well-being?

*What angers and resentments (aka poison) can I let go of, and how?

*When I get very quiet, what does my inner-voice say, and what do I need to do to listen and act on it daily?

In the next days ahead, I’m going to spend time nurturing the seeds of my grandest dreams. I hope you will, too. Plant those seeds. Water them, and they’re sure to grow.

“I was working, had 3 little kids and a household to run. I wasn’t doing anything for my enjoyment or self-fulfillment. I needed more free creative time. The decision to join the art class changed my life!” – Annette Back

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Love is a Verb: Start With Yourself

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